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feprtment  of  public  Jnstructton, 


CITY    OF    CHICAGO 


REPORT  OF  THE  PRESIDENT 


BOARD  OF  EDUCATION, 


FIFTH  ANNUAL  REPORT 


OP    THE 


SUPERINTENDENT  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, 


FOR     THE 


"ITE-A.!^    EilSriDIilSra-    fee.    1,    1859. 


•  •  • 


JThicaoo 


BOOK    AND    JOB    PRiNTi:?G    OFFICE    OF    SCOTT    &    CO. 

1859. 


X: 


f^artmijnt  of  |itljlir  Jnstntfticn, 

CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


REPORT  OF  THE  PRESIDENT 


BOARD  OF  EDUCATION, 


FIFTH  ANNUAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


SUPERINTENDENT  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, 


FOR    THE 


-^:hj^ti  EnsriDiKro-  fee.  i,  issa. 


CHICAGO: 

BOOK   AND   JOB   PRINTING   OFFICE   OF    SCOTT    &    CO. 

1859. 


CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Education,  March  19,  1859,  it  was 

Voted,  That  eight  thousand  copies  of  the  Reports  of  the  President 
of  the   Board  and  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  be  printed 

for  distribution. 

Attest : 

W.  H.  WELLS,  Secretary, 


REPORT  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 


To  the  Board  of  Education  of  Chicago  : 

Gentlemen  :  I  am  aware  that  it  has  not  been  cus- 
tomary for  any  officer  of  this  Board,  except  the 
Superintendent,  to  present  a  report  at  the  close  of 
our  school  year  ;  still  it  has  appeared  to  me,  as  it  has 
to  others,  that  it  would  not  be  inappropriate,  at 
the  present  time,  to  suggest  some  matters  worthy 
of  consideration.  I  need  say  nothing  to  you  of 
the  importance  of  the  position  which  we  hold  as 
Directors  of  the  Public  Schools  of  our  city.  The 
moral  and  educational  interests  of  twelve  thousand 
children  are,  in  a  great  measure,  placed  in  our  hands, 
and  the  destiny  of  many  of  these  children  will  be 
decided  by  the  manner  in  which  we  discharge  the 
trusts  imposed  on  us.  If  we  neglect  to  employ  the 
best  teachers  we  can  command,  or  if  we  neglect  the 
proper  supervision  of  the  teachers  and  of  the  schools, 
we  neglect  a  duty  for  which  no  subsequent  regrets 
or  labor  can  atone.  We  cannot  restore  the  lost  or 
misspent  time  of  the  pupil,  who  from  indigence  or 
other  causes  has  but  a  limited  opportunity  to  com- 
plete his  school  education  ;  neither  can  we  eradicate 
the  bad  habits  of  the  teacher  or  the  pupil  which 
needed  but  our  early  attention  to  secure  their  cor- 
rection, and  to  give  such  a  direction  to  the  efforts  of 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


both  teacher  and  pupil,  that  the  greatest  amount  of 
improvement  might  have  been  attained  in  the  least 
possible  time. 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  satisfaction  to  know  that 
our  schools,  now  the  pride  of  our  city,  are  in  so 
prosperous  a  condition.  During  the  past  year,  addi- 
tions have  been  made  to  our  accommodations  of 
fourteen  hundred  seats.  Faithful  and  accomplished 
teachers  are  now  employed  in  most  of  these  new 
school-rooms,  and  discharging,  in  most  instances, 
their  several  duties  in  a  manner  deserving  the 
approbation  of  the  Board.  But  notwithstanding 
these  large  additions,  many  of  our  schools  are  still 
so  over-crowded  that  satisfactory  progress  is  entirely 
out  of  the  question.  Hundreds — I  may  say  thousands 
of  children,  due  at  the  school-room,  are  on  the 
streets,  and  are  kept  at  home  by  their  parents,  either 
because  there  are  no  seats  for  them  in  their  several 
districts,  or  from  the  unwillingness  of  parents  to  place 
their  children  in  rooms  so  crowded,  and  where  so 
many  are  necessarily  placed  in  charge  of  a  single 
teacher,  (in  some  instances  not  less  that  one  hundred 
and  fifty,)  and  where  so  little  instruction  can  be 
given,  and  even  this  little  at  so  great  a  disadvantage. 

That  all  the  children  of  a  community,  of  suitable 
age,  must  be  educated,  is  a  fact  which  at  this  day 
and  in  this  country,  admits  of  no  question  or  debate. 
Provision  must  then  be  made  for  their  education. 
If  there  were  no  question  of  political  economy  con- 
nected with  the  subject,  none  of  morals,  humanity 
or  religion,  there  is  one  of  a  pecuniary  character 
which  every  well-regulated  town,  city  and  State  will 
always  respect.     Ignorance  and  crime  go  hand   in 


PRESIDENT  S    REPORT. 


hand ;  and  if  a  community  neglects  to  provide  for  the 
education  of  all  of  suitable  age  to  attend  school,  or 
provides  so  illy  for  their  accommodation  that  no 
valuable  progress  can  be  made,  those  children,  so 
neglected,  or  so  imperfectly  provided  for,  will  educate 
themselves,  or  be  educated,  in  a  way  prejudicial  to 
the  best  interests  of  society.  Recruits  from  these 
same  neglected  ones  are  to  fill  our  reform  schools, 
bridewells  and  penitentiaries ;  and  the  community 
that  neglects  to  provide  for  the  moral  and  intellectual 
training  of  the  rising  generation,  must  provide  the 
means  of  sustaining  many  of  them  in  some  reforma- 
tory or  penal  institution.  The  amount  of  money 
now  spent  in  this  city,  in  sustaining  the  police,  is 
nearly  or  quite  double  the  amount  spent  in  sustain- 
ing the  public  schools ;  thus  showing  that  it  costs 
more  to  punish  crime,  after  it  has  been  committed, 
than  to  provide  the  means  of  its  prevention.  Pun- 
ishment will,  of  itself,  never  prevent  crime.  Educa- 
tion, such  as  this  city  can  and  should  furnish,  will 
prove  far  more  effectual  in  diminishing  the  expense 
of  our  criminal  code,  than  all  the  penal  enactments 
and  establishments  that  ever  were  devised  or  ever 
can  be. 

Let  us  look  at  a  few  facts  bearing  on  this  question. 
The  most  accurate  and  carefully  prepared  statistics 
of  crime  in  our  own  country  and  in  Europe,  go  to 
show  that  if  you  "  train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
should  go,  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it.'"-' 
In  1847,  1,122  persons  were  convicted  of  crime  in  the 
several  counties  of  the  State  of  New  York.     Of  these 

*  See  Sixteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Education. 


6  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


only  six  were  reported  as  well  educated,  and  only 
twenty-two  as  having  received  a  common  school 
education.  In  1848,  1,345  persons  were  returned  as 
criminals  in  the  same  State.  Of  these,  ten  were 
reported  as  having  a  good  education,  and  only  twenty- 
three  as  having  received  the  advantages  of  common 
schools.  For  nine  consecutive  years,  in  the  same 
State,  from  1840  to  1849,  inclusive,  27,949  persons 
were  returned  as  having  been  convicted  of  crime  ; 
and  of  these,  128  were  "well  educated;"  one-half  of 
the  remainder  could  only  read  and  write  ;  and  the 
balance,  13,112,  were  entirely  destitute  of  any  edu- 
cation whatever.  The  same  is  true  of  other  States, 
and  the  history  of  criminals,  wherever  found,  presents 
the  same  dark  picture  for  our  consideration.  Our 
own  reform  school,  bridewell  and  alms-house,  form 
no  exception  to  the  rule — the  same  relation  existing 
between  ignorance,  poverty  and  crime,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  education,  thrift  and  virtue  on  the  other. 
Who  then  can  doubt  what  the  result  would  be,  if  a 
seat  was  provided  for  every  child  between  the  ages 
of  six  and  twenty,  and  every  seat  occupied ;  and  a 
competent,  faithful  and  devoted  teacher  provided  for 
every  sixty  pupils  ?  The  testimony  of  able  and  ex- 
perienced educators  is  worth  something  upon  this 
subject.     AVhat  is  that  testimony  ? 

Horace  Mann,  while  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 
Board  of  Education,  addressed  a  circular  letter  to 
many  of  the  most  prominent  and  successful  teachers 
in  our  land,  men  who  had  devoted  their  lives  to  the 
subject  and  studied  it  as  a  profession,  asking  their 
opinion  of  what  would  be  the  result,  if  our  schools 
were  what  they  should  be,  and  what  all  of  them 


president's  report.  7 

might  soon  become,  if  the  public  should  only  demand 
it ;  closing  his  letter  with  the  pertinent  and  import- 
ant inquiry : 

"  How  much  improvement  in  the  upright  conduct 
and  good  morals  of  the  community  might  we  expect 
should  all  of  our  schools  be  kept  by  teachers  of  high 
intellectual  and  moral  qualifications,  and  should  all 
the  children  in  the  community  be  brought  within 
these  schools  for  ten  months  in  the  year,  from  the 
age  of  four  to  that  of  sixteen  ;  then  what  proportion, 
what  per  centage,  of  such  children  as  you  have  under 
your  care,  could,  in  your  opinion,  be  so  educated  and 
trained,  that  their  existence,  on  going  out  into  the 
world,  would  be  a  benefit  and  not  a  detriment,  an 
honor  and  not  a  shame,  to  society  ? " 

Responses  almost  unanimous  came,  in  answer  to 
this  circular,  confirming  that  early  learned  but  soon 
forgotten  precept, 

"Just  as  the  twig  is  bent,  the  tree's  inclined." 

I  will  quote  only  a  few  of  them  \  but  such  as  from 
their  long  standing,  and  long  tried  and  faithful  ser- 
vices in  the  school-room,  entitle  their  opinions  to  the 
fullest  confidence. 

One,  a  teacher  of  both  sexes  and  of  all  ages,  and 
after  an  experience  of  more  than  forty  years,  says. 
"  that  under  the  conditions  mentioned,  he  would  not 
expect  more  than  two  per  cent,  of  those  submitted 
to  the  experiment  would  be  irreclaimable  nuisances 
to  society,  and  that  ninety-five  per  cent,  w^ould  be 
supporters  of  the  moral  welfare  of  the  community." 
Another,  of  the  highest  rank  as  an  educator,  and 
after  an  experience  of  more  than  twenty  years,  re- 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


plies,  "  I  should  scarcely  expect,  after  the  first  gen- 
eration of  children  submitted  to  the  experiment,  to 
fail  in  a  sincjle  instance  to  secure  the  results  you  have 
named."  He  goes  on  to  say,  "  I  should  not  forgive 
myself,  nor  think  myself  longer  fit  to  be  a  teacher,  if, 
with  all  the  aids  and  influences  supposed,  I  should 
fail  in  one  case  in  a  hundred  to  rear  up  children  who, 
when  they  should  become  men,  would  become  honest 
dealers,  conscientious  jurors,  true  witnesses,  incor- 
ruptible voters  or  magistrates,  good  parents,  good 
neighbors,  good  members  of  society." 

Another,  with  an  experience  of  twenty-four  years 
in  the  profession,  says,  "  So  far  as  my  own  experi- 
ence goes,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  of  the  experience 
of  others  extends,  so  far  as  the  statistics  of  crime 
throw  any  light  on  the  subject,  I  should  confidently 
expect  that  ninety-nine  in  a  hundred — and  I  should 
think  even  more — with  such  means  of  education  as 
you  have  supposed,  and  with  such  divine  favor  as  we 
are  authorized  to  expect,  would  become  good  mem- 
bers of  society,  the  supporters  of  order,  and  law,  and 
truth,  and  justice,  and  all  righteousness."  Another 
says,  "  If  all  of  our  schools  were  under  the  charge  of 
teachers  possessing  what  I  regard  as  the  right  intel- 
lectual and  moral  qualifications,  and  if  all  the  chil- 
dren of  the  community  were  brought  under  the  in- 
fluences of  these  schools,  'for  ten  months  in  the  year,' 
I  think  the  work  of  training  up  the  ivhole  community 
to  intelligence  and  virtue  would  soon  be  accomplished, 
as  completely  as  any  human  end  could  be  obtained 
by  human  means." 

Another,  of  the  highest  standing  in  New  England, 


president's  report.  9 

and  after  an  experience  of  more  than  twenty  years, 
says,  "  If,  as  I  fully  believe,  it  is  in  the  power  of  the 
people  of  any  State,  by  means  so  simple  as  your 
questions  suppose,  and  so  completely  in  their  own 
power  as  these  obviously  are,  so  to  change  the  whole 
face  of  society,  in  a  single  generation,  that  scarcely 
one  or  ttvo  per  cent,  of  really  incorrigible  members  shall 
be  found,  it  cannot  be  that  so  great  a  good  will  con- 
tinue to  be  neglected,  and  the  means  of  its  attain- 
ment longer  unemployed." 

I  need  quote  no  more  ;  but  with  such  testimony  as 
this  before  us,  with  the  concurrent  testimony  of  our 
own  observation  and  experience,  with  the  united  tes- 
timony of  intelligent  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
civilized  world,  can  we  be  faithfully  discharging  the 
trusts  committed  to  our  hands,  unless  we  urge,  and  so 
far  as  is  proper  for  us,  demand  that  suitable  accom- 
modations for  all  the  children  in  our  city,  of  suitable 
age  to  attend  school,  shall  he  provided^  and  competent 
teachers  furnished,  and  this  with  the  least  jjossihle 
delay  ?  Surely  this  community  will  prefer  to  pay  for 
school-houses  and  teachers,  rather  than  for  bridewells 
and  prisons,  and  their  hosts  of  keepers.  As  the 
school-houses  increase,  the  occupants  for  prisons 
decrease ;  and  should  the  whole  community  become 
as  thoroughly  educated  as  it  is  in  the  power  of  this 
State  to  educate,  and  of  every  State  which  chooses, 
the  expense  for  penal  establishments  and  for  police 
regulations  would  be  very  materially  lessened. 

The  number  of  our  public  schools  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing. The  expense  of  labor  and  supplies,  the  increased 
and  increasing  number  of  our  teachers,  draw  heavily 


10  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


upon  our  funds,  and  the  limit  of  taxation  to  which 
the  Council  is  confined  by  the  charter,  renders  the 
question,  How  shall  a  sufficient  number  of  school 
houses  and  teachers  be  provided  to  meet  the  present 
pressing  demand  of  our  city,  one  of  deep  and  absorb- 
ing interest.  Two  new  houses  must  be  built  the 
coming  season.  All,  who  have  given  the  matter  any 
thought,  agree  in  this.  From  three  to  five  thousand 
children  in  our  midst,  are  to-day  out  of  school,  for 
the  reason  that  we  have  no  seats  for  them ;  and 
their  demand  for  a  place  must  not  be  thrust  aside  or 
neglected. 

To  meet  this  necessity,  the  two  mills  tax  is  insuffi- 
cient. Will  the  Council,  then,  authorize  the  issuing 
of  bonds  for  such  a  sum  as  will,  when  added  to  our 
two  mills  tax,  enable  the  Board  to  go  forward  and  put 
up  the  two  houses  desired  the  coming  season  ?  The 
interest  on  these  bonds  can  be  paid  from  the  two 
mills  tax  fund ;  and  then,  if  there  be  no  better  way 
of  meeting  them  when  they  become  due,  there  are, 
belonging  to  the  school  property,  two  lots,  very  un- 
suitable for  school  purposes  now,  and  daily  becoming 
more  so.  I  refer  to  the  lots  where  the  Dearborn  and 
Jones  school-houses  are  located,  and  which  might  be 
sold  to  meet  the  payment.  These  two  lots  are  now 
worth  two  or  three  times  the  amount  we  need,  to 
accomplish  all  we  desire.  The  sale  of  these  grounds, 
in  the  manner  and  for  the  purposes  here  proposed, 
would  be  only  changing  property  now  unsuitable 
to  school  purposes,  for  other  and  more  desirable 
lots,  which  the  great  change  in  the  past  few  j^ears, 


president's  report.  11 


in  business  and  residence  property,  now  renders 
imperative.  Should  the  Council  acquiesce  in  these 
views,  steps  should  immediately  be  taken  to  put  the 
buildings  under  contract,  so  that  we  can  have  them 
for  use  the  coming  fall  or  winter. 

I  have  perhaps  dwelt  at  more  length  upon  this 
matter  than  is  necessary  ;  but  its  pressing  importance, 
and  so  many  interests  vital  to  the  well  being  of  our 
city,  are  involved  in  it,  that  I  could  not  refrain  from 
calling  your  most  serious  and  earnest  consideration 
to  the  subject;  trusting  that  through  you,  the  Coun- 
cil and  this  whole  community  may  see  and  under- 
stand this  matter  in  its  true  Hght,  and  seeing,  aid  us 
in  carrying  forward  the  object  we  all  so  much  desire. 
This  subject  is  discussed  in  the  very  able  and  valu- 
able   report  of  our   Superintendent,   herewith  pre- 
sented, to  which  I  would  call  your  special  attention, 
and  for  which  I  would  ask  a  careful  consideration. 

It  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  Board  to  the  account  current  of  labor  and  sup- 
plies, as  presented  by  the  City  Comptroller,  and  by 
our  owm  books.  It  will  be  seen  that  our  expenses  in 
this  department  have  been  very  materially  diminished, 
and  much  money  has  been  saved,  to  be  appropriated 
for  other  and  important  purposes.  The  new  building 
at  the  corner  of  Willow  and  Orchard  Streets,  is  a 
model  school-house.  Its  halls  are  spacious  and  airy ; 
the  rooms  in  height,  form  and  light,  all  that  can  be 
desired ;  the  modes  of  ingress  and  egress,  ample  and 
convenient ;  and  it  affords  sufficient  accommodation 
for  twelve  hundred  children.  This  building  was  com- 
menced during  the  last  year,  and  finished  in  a  most 


12  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


thorough  and  workmanlike  manner,  and  at  a  cost  of 
less  than  $25,000.  Each  of  the  four  houses  built 
before  this,  cost  more  money,  and  neither  of  them 
will  accommodate  but  one-half  the  number  of  pupils. 
A  frame  house  was  likewise  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Twelfth  Street  and  Wabash  Avenue,  sufficiently  large 
to  accommodate  nearly  two  hundred  pupils.  It  is 
now  filled  to  overflowing,  and  further  accommoda- 
tions must  be  speedily  furnished  for  this  portion  of 
the  city,  which  has  for  a  long  time  been  too  much 
neglected. 

I  deem  it  proper  here  to  say,  that  for  the  econom- 
ical and  efficient  manner  in  which  this  part  of  our 
duties  has  been  conducted,  we  are  in  a  great  measure 
indebted  to  the  untiring  and  devoted  labors  of  the 
chairman  of  our  building  committee. 

In  the  course  of  studies  prescribed  by  the  Board, 
and  the  demands  which  we  make  upon  our  teachers, 
it  has  appeared  to  me  that  v/e  are  in  danger  of  losing 
sight  of  one  subject,  which  is  of  far  more  importance 
to  the  pupil  in  his  subsequent  course,  than  all  per 
centage  tables  of  his  intellectual  attainments,  how- 
ever valuable  those  may  be.  There  are  influences  in 
the  school-room,  subtle  in  themselves,  very  difficult 
to  describe,  but  which  it  is  impossible  not  to  feel, 
whenever  a  school-room  is  entered,  by  every  person 
at  all  experienced  in  these  matters.  In  some  school- 
rooms, one  feels  as  though  introduced  into  the  parlor 
of  a  refined  and  accomplished  family.  The  manner 
in  which  the  pupils  occupy  their  seats,  their  inter- 
course with  each  other  and  with  their  teacher,  are 
all  characterized  by  that  accomplishment  of  manner 


president's  report.  13 

which  always  marks  the  educated,  the  refined  and  the 
good.  The  very  atmosphere  about  some  persons 
seems  redolent  of  refinement  and  cultivation,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  we  witness  that  energy  and  deci- 
sion of  character  which  are  so  absolutely  essential  to 
a  well-developed  man  or  woman.  Fortunate  is  that 
Board  of  Education  which  is  able  to  secure  the  ser- 
vices of  such,  as  teachers  in  the  public  schools;  but 
more  fortunate  far,  are  those  pupils  who  are  brought 
up  in  such  an  atmosphere,  and  are  moulded  under 
such  influences.  It  is  true  of  many  who  seek  to  be 
teachers  —  educated  men  and  women,  as  the  phrase 
is  —  that  they  are  sadly  deficient  in  the  refinements 
of  life.  An  incident  which  recently  occurred  in  one 
of  our  own  schools,  will  partly  illustrate  my  idea. 
The  teacher  dropped  a  book  on  the  floor,  when  a 
beautiful  little  girl,  who  was  sitting  near,  and  who 
had  evidently  been  trained  to  habits  of  politeness  at 
home,  advanced  to  pick  it  up,  but  instead  of  a  smile 
of  approval  from  the  teacher  for  this  spontaneous 
mark  of  kindness  and  good  breeding,  she  was  met 
with  a  stern  "  Take  your  seat ;  I  did  n't  ask  you  to 
come  out  here."  The  class  of  teachers  to  which  I 
refer,  oftentimes  are  able  to  pass  an  excellent  exami- 
nation by  the  books  ;  they  seem  to 

"  Know  all  learning,  and  all  science  know ; " 

but  when  we  look  at  their  manners,  and  know  their 
habits  of  thought  and  expression,  their  ivaiis  of  say- 
ing and  doing  things,  and  then  ask  ourselves,  do  we 
want  such  as  teachers  for  our  children,  as  model 
educators  ?  we  instinctively  answer,  No !  Give  us 
men  and  women  for  such  a  service,  accomplished^ 


14  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


refined,  having  far  liigher  aims,  and  nobler  aspira- 
tions, than  an  exhibition  of  high  figures  in  the  per 
centage  table;  those  who  believe,  and  act  on  the 
belief,  that  their  pupils  have  hearts  as  well  as  heads 
to  be  educated,  and  who  see  many  things  in  their 
pupils  to  be  accomplished,  above  and  beyond  all  class 
marks  or  tabulated  figures.  Have  we  not  thought 
too  much  about  that  part  of  education  which  can  be 
shown  by  figures,  and  be  displayed  by  diagrams,  to 
the  exclusion  or  neglect  of  that  more  important  part, 
which  no  figures  or  diagrams  can  exhibit  ?  We  want 
our  sons,  and  daughters  too,  polished  and  refined, 
and  in  the  world  of  mind  and  morals  irresistible  in 
power.  Such,  few  of  them  will  ever  become,  unless 
we  place  before  them  living  examples  in  the  persons 
of  their  teachers. 

I  know  that  this  is  asking  much  at  the  hands  of 
our  teachers,  and  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say,  that 
the  Board  has  in  its  employ,  many  who  are  doing  all 
that  ought  to  be  expected  of  them  in  meeting  the 
want  here  indicated.  Still  there  is  room  for  im- 
provement, and  very  much  might  be  accomplished  in 
the  right  direction,  were  proper  time  given  our  Su- 
perintendent to  meet  the  teachers,  classified  as  should 
seem  best  to  him,  in  a  free,  familiar  and  frank  expo- 
sition of  such  habits,  and  manners,  and  ivays^  as  are 
objectionable,  and  such  as  a  kind  word,  in  a  proper 
way  and  place,  would  tend  greatly  to  correct. 

Intimately  connected  with  this  subject  is  the  proper 
management  of  our  Normal  School,  a  school  espe- 
cially established  as  a  "  Teachers'  Department ;"  but 
as  it  is  not  my  purpose  to  discuss  the  particular  con- 


president's  report.  15 

clition  of  the  different  schools,  I  desire  to  call  your 
special  attention  to  this. 

You  are  well  aware  that  the  Normal  Department 
of  the  High  School  has,  in  a  great  degree,  failed  to 
realize  the  just  expectations  of  the  Board,  and  the 
age  and  maturity  of  the  class  of  pupils  now  connect- 
ed with  this  department,  are  not  such  as  to  give 
promise  of  any  better  results  in  the  future. 

Not  only  are  many  of  the  seats  occupied  by  those 
who  have  no  special  adaptation  to  the  profession  of 
teaching,  but  one-fourth  of  the  seats  in  this  depart- 
ment have  not  yet  been  filled  at  all.  It  appears  to 
me  that  an  immediate  and  radical  change  of  some 
kind  is  required  in  the  administration  of  this  depart- 
ment of  our  High  School,  and  I  would  suggest  the 
expediency  of  placing  it  under  the  special  super- 
vision of  the  Superintendent,  with  authority  to  adopt 
such  measures  in  relation  to  the  admission  and  dis- 
charge of  pupils,  as  he  may  deem  best  suited  to  ad- 
vance the  objects  for  w^hich  this  branch  of  the  High 
School  was  established.  His  experience  and  success 
in  conducting  one  of  the  State  Normal  Schools  of 
Massachusetts  are  a  sufficient  guarantee  that  our  own 
Normal  School  would  not  suffer  under  his  direction. 

The  year  now  closing  has  been  one  of  great  pros- 
perity to  the  public  schools  of  our  city.  No  political, 
sectarian  or  sectional  interest  has  for  a  moment 
marred  the  action  of  the  Board ;  and  far  distant  may 
the  day  be  when  any  man  shall  find  his  way  into  this 
Board,  who  has  any  interests  to  serve  save  the  best 
interests  of  our  schools,  and  may  all  seek  those  in- 
terests, regardless  of  parties  or  of  persons. 


16  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


In  conclusion  permit  me  to  say,  that  while  we  con- 
gratulate ourselves  upon  what  our  schools  have  done 
and  are  doing,  I  trust  none  of  us  are  satisfied  with 
present  attainments.  Much  yet  remains  to  be  done; 
and  with  the  same  unity  of  action  which  has  hitherto 
marked  our  deliberations,  very  much  may  be  done 
the  coming  year  to  raise  the  standard  of  our  schools 
still  higher,  and  secure  for  them  the  continued  con- 
fidence of  our  citizens. 

LUTHER  HAVEN, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Education. 


REPORT  OF  THE  SURERIXTEXDENT. 


To  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  City  of  CMcac/o  : 

Gentlemen:  In  the  following  RejDort,  I  have  en- 
deavored to  present  a  general  view  of  the  condition 
of  our  public  schools,  and  to  point  out  some  of  the 
impediments  which  still  retard  their  progress. 

PRIMARY    SCHOOLS. 

The  Board  of  Education  has  spared  no  pains  to 
incorporate  in  our  system  of  public  instruction  the 
best  elements  of  the  best  systems  of  other  and  older 
cities,  and  w^e  have  been  fortunate  in  securing  the 
services  of  a  body  of  faithful  and  efficient  teachers. 
The  classification  of  the  pupils  is  uniform  and  thor- 
ough. In  the  general  organization  of  the  schools,  it 
does  not  appear  to  me  that  any  important  changes 
are  desirable.  The  two  upper  grades  are  accomplish- 
ing very  fully  and  satisfactorily  the  work  for  which 
they  were  established.  But  while  we  are  permitted 
to  refer  with  pride  to  the  success  of  our  Grammar 
Schools  and  High  School,  we  cannot  conceal  from 
ourselves  nor  from  this  community  the  fact,  that  in 
the  Primary  Schools  there  exist  some  very  serious 
and  radical  defects. 

Inadequate  Siipjili/  of  Teachers  and  Booms.  —  The  car- 
dinal evil  which  is  undermining  the  very  foundation 

2 


18  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


of  our  public  school  system,  is  the  inadequate  pro- 
vision that  is  made  for  the  accommodation  and  in- 
struction of  the  Primary  Schools.  I  have  discussed 
this  subject  before,  and  would  fain  pass  it  by  in  the 
present  Report ;  but  it  is  forced  upon  me  and  cannot 
be  disregarded.  It  is  vain  for  us  to  expect  any  satis- 
factory results  till  this  evil  is  in  some  way  met  and 
removed. 

Our  Primary  Schools  are  the  basis  of  our  whole 
system.  If  evils  are  suffered  to  exist  here,  they  will 
manifest  themselves  in  all  the  higher  stages  of  the 
pupil's  progress,  and  cling  to  him  through  life. 

"  Scratch  the  green  rind  of  a  sapling,  or  wantonly  twist  it  in  the  soil ; 
The  scarred  and  crooked  oak  will  tell  of  thee  for  centuries  to  come." 

It  is  in  the  Primary  Schools  that  more  than  half  of 
all  our  public  instruction  is  imparted,  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  children  gathered  here  do  not  remain 
in  school  long  enough  to  pass  into  the  higher  depart- 
ments at  all. 

While  there  are  many  principles  relating  to  the 
management  of  schools,  on  which  different  educators 
are  not  yet  agreed,  there  are,  fortunately,  some  which 
may  be  regarded  as  settled.  Among  those  about 
which  there  appears  to  be  no  dispute,  is  the  prin- 
ciple that  one  teacher  cannot  profitably  instruct  more 
than  sixty  different  pupils  at  a  time.  Whenever  the 
number  is  increased  beyond  this  limit,  the  loss  to  the 
first  sixty  is  greater  than  the  gain  to  those  that  are 
added.  There  is  not  a  city  of  any  importance  in  the 
country  in  which  this  principle  has  not  been  recog- 
nized ;  and  our  own  Board  has  fully  indorsed  it  when- 
ever the  school  accommodations  have  been  sufficient 
to  carry  it  into  effect.     The  only  question  is,  w^hether 


superintendent's  report.  19 

the  number,  especially  in  the  Primary  Schools,  should 
not  be  placed  considerably  below  sixty. 

In  the  ten  largest  cities  of  the  United  States,  the 
average  number  belonging  to  each  teacher  in  the 
Grammar  and  Primary  departments,  is  at  the  present 
time  less  than  fifty-five.'-'  I  have  chosen,  however,  to 
place  the  limit  at  sixty,  beyond  which  there  can  be 
no  question  that  all  increase  is  on  the  whole  a  loss, 
and  not  a  gain.  It  is  humiliating  to  acknowledge, 
that  our  Primary  Schools  still  present  examples  in 
which  a  single  teacher  is  made  responsible  for  the 
sole  instruction  of  more  than  one  hundred  and  fiftv 
children.  But  I  will  not  dwell  upon  evils  which  were 
but  too  apparent  before ;  the  practical  question  for 
us  to  meet,  is  the  possibility  of  providing  a  remedy. 

I  have  shown,  in  a  former  Report,  that  our  two 
mills  tax  and  the  income  of  the  school  fund,  are  suf- 
ficient to  meet  the  school  expenses  that  legitimately 
belong  to  any  one  year,  and  provide  ample  room  for 
all  the  children  that  desire  to  attend  the  public  schools. 
We  have  now  the  smallest  amount  of  room,  and  the 
smallest  number  of  teachers  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  pupils,  of  any  city  in  the  Union,  simply 
because  the  population  of  our  city  has  increased 
faster  than  that  of  any  other. 

This  rapid  increase  of  population  requires  a  much 
larger  investment  in  new  buildings  at  the  j)resent 
time,  than  the  average  investment  of  a  long  jDcriod 
of  years.  The  permanent  investments  of  the  city  in 
school  buildings,  and  grounds,  and  furniture,  during 


*  Whatever  may  be  the  number  of  pupils  assigned  to  one  teacher,  the  esti- 
mate should  be  based  upon  the  actual  membership  of  the  school,  and  not  upon  the 
average  attendance.  The  absence  of  a  pupil  for  one  or  more  days,  if  he  still 
retains  his  connection  with  the  school,  does  not  lessen  the  labors  of  the  teacher. 


20  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


the  last  three  years,  araount  to  more  than  1160,000, 
or  an  average  of  more  than  1 5 3,0 00  a  year.  This 
sum  would  pay  the  annual  rent  of  the  best  accommo- 
dations for  more  than  twice  the  number  of  pupils 
than  have  belonged  to  our  schools  during  this  period. 
But  while  we  have  actually  paid  for  more  than  twice 
the  room  we  required,  we  have  not  received  in 
return  accommodations  sufficient  to  meet  our  most 
urgent  necessities. 

Let  me  not  be  misunderstood  on  this  point.  The 
average  number  belonging  to  our  schools  during  the 
year  1858,  was  about  5,500.  The  annual  increase  in 
the  average  membership  of  our  schools,  is  about  1,000. 
If  we  estimate  the  amount  of  investment  required 
for  each  year,  to  furnish  perpetual  accommodations 
for  all  the  schools,  we  shall  find  that  our  proportion 
for  a  single  year  does  not  exceed  $25,000.  But  we 
have  paid,  during  the  last  three  years,  an  average  of 
$53,000.  In  other  words,  we  have  paid  all  our  own 
expenses,  and  an  average  of  $28,000  a  year  for  those 
who  are  to  have  the  use  of  the  buildings  and  grounds 
in  years  yet  to  come.  This,  certainly,  is  not  just  to 
ourselves,  nor  to  our  children,  and  it  seems  to  me  that 
an  imperative  duty  is  imposed  on  us,  to  devise  some 
means  by  which  this  expenditure  may  be  more  equi- 
tably distributed. 

I  can  conceive  of  only  one  way  in  which  this  ob- 
ject can  be  accomplished,  and  that  is,  by  the  Coun- 
cil's issuing  bonds  for  such  an  amount  as  may  be 
necessary,  to  aid  the  school  tax  fmid  in  erecting  the 
buildings  that  are  required  for  immediate  use,  leaving 
it  for  those  who  share  with  us  in  the  use  of  the  build- 
ings, to  share  also  in  the   expense  of  their  erection. 


superintendent's  report.  21 

If  the  school  tax  fund  could  receive  sufficient  aid 
the  present  year,  to  furnish  one  such  house  as  that 
erected  in  the  North  Division  during  the  last  year, 
the  fund  itself  would  afford  the  means  of  erecting 
another  of  equal  capacity ;  and  these  two,  with  a  few 
changes  in  district  limits,  and  with  such  additional 
rooms  as  might,  in  special  cases,  be  hired  temporarily, 
would  change  the  whole  aspect  of  our  Primary 
Schools. 

•  By  adopting  the  plan  here  proposed,  we  save  our- 
selves from  the  reproach  of  committing  from  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  children  to  the  care 
of  a  sino;le  teacher.  We  save  the  children  from  the 
manifest  exposure  of  health,  which  now  results  from 
the  practice  of  crowding  four  or  five  scholars  upon  a 
seat  intended  for  only  two.  We  obviate  the  neces- 
sity of  having  two  classes  recite  in  the  same  room  at 
the  same  time,  to  the  great  annoyance  and  detriment 
of  both.  And  we  save  the  necessity  for  one-half  the 
severity  of  discipline  that  is  now  required  to  preserve 
order  in  many  of  the  Primary  rooms.  In  short,  we 
remove  the  ])lague  spot  that  now  rests  upon  our  school 
system.  We  bring  the  Primary  Schools  up  to  the 
same  level  of  opportunities  and  advantages  enjoyed 
by  the  other  grades  of  schools,  and  give  completeness 
and  symmetry  to  our  whole  system  of  public  instruc- 
tion. I  cannot  but  hope  that  the  views  I  have  ex- 
pressed on  this  subject,  will  meet  the  favorable  regard 
of  the  Board  of  Education  and  the  Common  Council, 
and  that  some  measiu^es  will  be  taken  without  loss  of 
time,  to  relieve  the  Primary  Schools  from  their  pres- 
ent depressed  condition. 

In  the  estimates  I  have  made  respecting  the  sup- 


22  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


port  of  the  schools,  I  have  taken  for  granted  that  the 
full  two  mills  tax  is  to  be  continued.  To  cut  off  any 
portion  of  this,  when  the  schools  are  already  strug- 
gling for  existence,  would  give  a  fatal  blow  to  all  the 
efforts  which  are  made  for  their  improvement.  I 
am  sure  that  our  Common  Council  have  too  much 
regard  for  the  interests  of  the  schools,  to  adopt  any 
measures  which  would  be  fraught  with  consequences 
so  disastrous. 


Age  of  Admission. — There  is  another  point  of  con- 
siderable importance  in  its  relation  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  Primary  Schools,  to  which  I  beg  leave  to  call 
the  attention  of  the  Board. 

By  the  present  school  law  of  this  State,  children 
are  admitted  to  the  public  schools  at  five  years  of 
age.  In  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  Cleveland,  Louisville, 
Washington,  Charleston,  New  Orleans,  and  most  other 
cities  out  of  New  England,  the  age  of  admission  is 
limited  to  six  years  instead  of  fivQ. 

For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  sentiments  of 
different  School  Boards,  respecting  the  best  limit  to  be 
adopted,  I  recently  addressed  letters  to  about  forty  of 
the  principal  cities  of  the  Union,  containing  the  fol- 
lowing inquiry : 

"  Are  the  advantages  of  admitting  pupils  under  six  years,  in  the 
estimation  of  your  School  Board,  as  great  as  the  disadvantages?" 

The  answer  received,  in  nearly  every  instance,  was 
an  emphatic  negative. 

The  example  of  some  of  the  eastern  cities  is  not  a 
safe  guide  for  us  in  this  particular.  Li  Boston,  chil- 
dren are  often  received  as  young  as  four  years.     If 


superintendent's  report.  23 

we  had  means  to  provide  schools  for  children  of  four 
or  five  years,  where  they  could  be  preserved  from 
the  unfavorable  influences  of  the  streets,  and  have 
the  benefit  of  a  simple  and  easy  course  of  oral  and 
slate  instruction,  Avith  frequent  interchange  of  recre- 
ation, for  three  or  four  hours  a  day,  it  would  un- 
doubtedly be  a  great  relief  to  parents,  and,  in  many 
instances,  would  be  far  better  for  the  children  than 
to  remain  at  home.  But  it  is  obvious  that  children 
of  this  age  cannot  profitably  or  safely  be  subjected 
to  the  regular  drill  and  discipline  of  the  school-room. 
The  effects  would  be  alike  injurious  both  to  body 
and  mind. 

The  time  may  come  when  we  can  afibrd  to  indulge 
in  the  luxury  of  Infant  Schools,  but  it  is  manifestly 
unjust  in  the  present  crowded  state  of  our  rooms,  to 
receive  children  at  five,  and  thereby  exclude  those 
who  are  old  enough  to  receive  the  full  benefit  of 
school  discipline  and  instruction. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  that  at  the  next  session  of  our 
State  Legislature,  either  the  school  law  or  our  city 
charter  will  be  so  modified,  that  the  Common  Coun- 
cil will  have  authority  to  exclude  from  the  public 
schools  all  children  under  six  years  of  age. 

Primary  ScJiool  Teachers. — I  trust  I  shall  be  par- 
doned if  I  suggest  that  our  Primary  Schools  are  suf- 
fering from  the  general  impression  that  the  teachers 
occupy  a  position  less  important  than  that  of  assist- 
ants in  the  Grammar  Schools.  It  is  no  disparagement 
to  the  Primary  teachers  to  say,  that  the  Primary 
classes  are  not,  as  a  whole,  taught  so  well  as  the 


24  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


Grammar  classes,  even  after  we  have  made  all  due 
allowance  for  the  inconvenience  of  crowded  rooms.* 
This  would  probably  still  be  true,  if  the  Primary 
classes  were  taught  by  the  Grammar  teachers. 

Of  all  the  applicants  examined  by  the  committee 
of  the  Board,  there  are  more  who  are  qualified  to 
teach  in  the  Grammar  departments  than  there  are 
who  are  qualified  to  teach  in  the  Primary  departments.-}* 

To  excel  as  a  Primary  teacher,  requires  peculiar 
natural  gifts,  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  first 
principles  of  knowledge,  special  fondness  for  young 
children,  and  an  abiding  consciousness  that  there  is 
really  no  higher  department  of  useful  labor  than 
that  of  giving  direction  to  the  first  efforts  of  minds 
that  are  opening  to  an  endless  existence. 

There  is  no  other  grade  of  schools  in  which  the 
personal  character  of  the  teacher  is  so  directly  felt, 
as  in  the  Primary.  In  the  Grammar  School,  lessons 
are  learned  from  text-books,  and  very  much  of  the 
pupil's  progress  is  made  without  the  direct  assistance 
of  the  teacher.  But  in  the  Primary  Schools,  the 
teacher  is  herself  the  text-book,  the  living  oracle  ; 
and  nearly  all  the  impressions  received  by  the  pupil 
are  a  direct  reflection  from  her  own  mind  and  heart. 
But  a  teacher  may  possess  every  desirable  mental 
and  moral  endowment,  and  yet,  if  a  position   in  a 

*  "  The  weakest  point  in  the  whole  system  of  American  education,  is  its 
deficiency  in  thoroughness  in  all  the  elementary  courses." — Dr.  Sears. 

t  "In  my  search  for  teachers  to  fill  vacancies,  I  find  ten  qualified  to  teach 
Geometry  in  a  High  School,  to  one  who  is  qualified  to  teach  reading  in  a  Pri- 
mary School ;  and  in  general,  it  is  more  difficult  to  find  teachers  adapted  to 
give  instruction  in  the  lower  grades,  than  in  the  higlier." — A.  Freeze,  Supt. 
of  Schools,  Cleveland. 


superintendent's  report.  25 

Primary  School  is  regarded  as  secondary  in  import- 
ance, and  a  situation  in  a  Grammar  department  is 
continually  before  the  mind  as  an  object  of  ambition 
and  desire,  it  is  vain  to  expect  the  same  degree  of 
success  that  would  be  realized  if  no  such  distinction 
existed. 

In  the  last  report  of  the  schools  of  St.  Louis,  I 
find  the  following :  "  It  will  be  observed  by  the  scale 
of  teachers'  salaries,  that  they  are  alike  in  the  Pri- 
mary and  Grammar  grades.  This  wise  arrangement 
makes  the  two  grades  equally  honorable,  and  serves 
to  secure  in  each  the  teachers  best  qualified  for  it." 

The  question  is  worthy  of  the  consideration  of 
this  Board,  whether  in  making  future  appointments 
of  assistants  in  the  Grammar  and  Primary  depart- 
ments, it  may  not  be  desirable  to  give  the  Primary 
assistants,  in  all  respects,  the  same  rank  as  the  Gram- 
mar assistants. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  so  few  of  our  Primary 
teachers  receive  any  special  training  before  entering 
upon  the  peculiar  duties  of  their  office.  They  are 
generally  well  educated,  but  their  education  has  been 
conducted  without  any  particular  reference  to  the 
positions  they  are  called  to  occupy.  It  is  seldom  that 
an  examination  of  teachers  occurs,  in  which  a  ma- 
jority of  the  applicants  are  not  found  to  be  radically 
deficient  in  some  of  the  elementary  principles  of 
primary  instruction.  Examples  are  constantly  pre- 
sented, in  which  a  candidate,  who  is  requested  to 
give  the  sounds  of  the  letters  as  they  occur  in  some 
common  word,  replies  with  the  utmost  composure, 
that  she  has  never  attended  to  the   sounds  of  the 


26  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


letters.  Many  applicants  seem  wholly  unconscious 
that  there  is  any  necessary  connection  between  their 
familiarity  with  the  rudiments  of  learning  and  their 
fitness  to  teach  a  Primary  School. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say,  that  in  the  Normal 
Department  of  our  High  School,  these  first  princi- 
ples are  thoroughly  taught,  and  I  trust  the  time  will 
come,  when  a  majority  of  our  female  teachers  wdll  be 
furnished  by  our  own  Normal  School. 

It  is  due  to  the  present  body  of  Primary  teachers 
to  remark,  that  there  are  among  them  a  large  num- 
ber of  model  teachers,  thoroughly  furnished  for  their 
work.  Many  also,  that  entered  upon  their  duties 
with  inadequate  preparation,  have  shown  a  very 
commendable  zeal  in  putting  forth  efforts  to  qualify 
themselves  for  the  duties  that  devolve  upon  them. 
If  some  special  provision  was  made  by  which  our 
Primary  teachers  could  receive  normal  instruction,  in 
connection  with  model  classes  in  one  or  more  of  the 
Primary  Schools,  I  am  sure  they  would  be  most  happy 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity;  and  I  be- 
lieve that  the  schools  might  be  materially  benefited 
by  adopting  such  a  measure.  I  would  then  respect- 
fully recommend,  that  the  Superintendent  be  author- 
ized to  dismiss  all  but  one  of  the  Primary  Schools  in 
each  division  of  the  city,  one-half  day  in  a  term,  for 
the  purpose  of  calling  together  all  the  Primary 
teachers,  to  witness  exercises  and  receive  sugges- 
tions relating  to  the  peculiar  wants  of  the  Primary 
Schools. 


Frhnary  Instruction. — The  first  year  spent  by  a  child 
in  a  Primary  School,  should  be  regarded  as  a  bridge 


superintendent's  report.  27 


from  the  liberty  of  home  life  to  the  regular  disci- 
pline of  the  school-room ;  and  all  the  efforts  of  the 
teacher  should  be  specially  adapted  to  this  peculiar 
condition  of  the  pupil.  Children  at  this  age  should 
not  be  expected  to  sit  without  moving  a  muscle. 
The  nervous  system  of  a  child  five  or  six  years  old, 
is  more  than  three  times  as  large  in  proportion  to 
the  body,  as  that  of  an  adult.  The  demand  for  fre- 
quent physical  exercise  is  imperative,  and  cannot 
safely  be  disregarded. 

And  yet  a  child  should  commence  learning  as  soon 
as  he  enters  the  school-room.  Tasks  he  should  know 
nothing  of,  but  useful  and  instructive  exercises  of 
various  kinds  should  be  commenced  immediately. 
He  needs  no  text-book,  but  a  slate  and  pencil  are 
indispensable.'^' 

The  course  of  instruction  for  this  class  of  pupils 
should  consist  of  familiar  conversations  upon  common 
objects,  giving  clear  ideas  of  their  various  properties, 
forms,  colors,  uses,  etc.,  and  cultivating  a  familiar  and 
accurate  acquaintance  with  the  words  employed  to 
describe  them ;  simple  exercises  on  the  slate  or  black- 
board, imitating  some  letter,  or  word,  or  drawing  5 
singing ;  repeating  verses,  singly  and  in  concert ; 
counting ;  learning  words  and  letters,  and  their  uses, 
from  the  black-board  and  from  cards;  with  frequent 
interchanges  of  physical  exercises  and  recreations. 

Let  it  be  understood  from  the  beginning,  that 
readiness  and  precision  in  the  use  of  language  are 
among  the  first  and  most  important  objects  to  be 


*  "  I  never  saw  a  Prussian  school,  above  an  infant  school,  in  which  any  child 
was  unprovided  with  a  slate  and  pencil." — Mann. 


28  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


sought  3   and  let  every  question  receive  a  complete 
and  grammatical  answer/^' 

Ohjed  Lessons. — No  form  of  instruction  is  better 
adapted  to  the  Primary  room,  than  that  which  is  usu- 
ally denominated  "Object  Lessons."f  These  lessons 
admit  of  an  endless  variet}^  in  their  application  to  the 
objects  of  common  life,  and  furnish  the  happiest  and 
most  certain  means  of  imparting  useful  knowledge. 
They  educate  the  perceptive  faculties  of  the  pupil, 
develo23  his  common  sense,  cultivate  habits  of  careful 
observation  and  reflection,  and  give  a  more  ready 
command  of  language  than  can  be  acquired  by  any 
other  means.  Many  of  the  Primary  teachers  of  this 
city  have  already  introduced  this  class  of  exercises 
very  successfully  into  their  course  of  instruction. 

Conversational  teaching  has  at  all  times  been  re- 
garded by  eminent  educators  as  the  most  effective 
process  of  early  education.  Pestalozzi  and  Fellen- 
berg  made  it  their  great  instrument  of  instruction ; 
and  it  has  long  been  employed  in  all  the  best  ele- 
mentary schools  of  Europe.     It  was  introduced  about 

*  "  In  this,  as  well  as  in  all  other  schools,  a  complete  answer  was  always 
required.  For  instance,  if  the  teacher  asks,  'what  are  houses  made  of?'  he 
does  not  accept  the  answer  'of  wood,'  or  'of  stone;'  but  he  requires  a  full, 
complete  answer,  as,  'a  house  is  made  of  wood.'  The  answer  must  always 
contain  an  intelligible  proposition  without  reference  to  the  words  of  the  ques- 
tion."— Prussian  Schools,  bij  Horace  Mann. 

t  "Much  may  be  done  both  in  our  Primary  and  Intermediate  Schools,  by 
means  of  oral  instruction  concerning  the  various  objects  and  phenomena  of 
nature,  the  practical  arts  and  business  of  life,  the  departments  of  physiology, 
botany,  history,  etc.,  both  in  connection  with,  and  independently  of  the  text- 
books in  daily  use ;  and  this  mode  of  instruction  seems  to  be  peculiarly  appro- 
priate to  these  schools.  The  plain  and  simple  teachings  suggested  by  what  we 
see  and  hear  every  day,  will  be  listened  to  with  far  more  interest,  and  generally 
be  followed  by  more  valuable  results,  than  many  of  the  formal  instructions  that 
are  given  by  teachers  from  books  in  the  way  of  precise  questions  and  answers.' 
— Report  of  School  Committee,  Springfield,  Mass. 


superintendent's  report.  29 

ten  years  since  in  Upper  Canada,  and  since  that  time 
it  has  been  very  extensively  adopted  in  the  schools 
of  the  United  States. 

As  some  of  our  teachers  are  not  familiar  with  the 
process  of  conducting  an  object  lesson,  I  take  the 
liberty  to  introduce  a  few  hints  which  may  serve  to 
aid  those  who  are  just  commencing  this  class  of  ex- 
ercises. It  should;  however,  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
no  second-hand  models  can  be  safely  relied  on.  The 
teacher  must  carefully  study  each  subject  herself,  and 
adopt  a  system  and  method  of  her  own. 

The  origin  of  our  ideas  is  in  our  senses.  In  all 
lano-uao-es,  the  words  which  stand  for  immaterial  ob- 
jects  are  borrowed  from  those  which  are  applied  to 
objects  of  perception.* 

It  is  then  of  the  greatest  importance,  that  a  child 
should  acquire  clear  ideas  of  things^  as  a  preparation 
for  a  knowledge  of  tuords,  and  the  uses  to  which  they 
are  to  be  applied.  Words  should  never  be  taught 
apart  from  the  ideas  signified. 

One  of  the  best  methods  of  introducing  these 
developing  exercises,  is  to  teach  the  properties  of  objects 
separately.  By  directing  the  attention  of  a  child  for 
a  considerable  time  to  a  single  property,  a  distinct 
and  lasting  impression  is  made.  Thus,  one  or  more 
lessons  may  be  devoted  to  form,  others  to  size,  color, 
iveight,  motion,  mimher,  taste,  sound,  etc. 

*  "  The  cultivation  of  the  senses  has,  practically,  received  little  attention,  and 
no  systematic  means  are  used  for  studying  and  naming  the  several  objects  of 
the  senses.  Erom  this  great  defect  in  early  education,  the  vocabulary  of  most 
people  is,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  very  meagre  upon  all  objects  of  the  senses. 
And  this  meagreness  of  language,  and  of  knowledge  of  external  objects,  al- 
most necessarily  leads  to  meagreness  of  language  for  those  classes  of  intellec- 
tual and  spiritual  subjects,  in  speaking  of  which  we  are  obliged  to  use  words 
borrowed  originally  from  the  outer  world." — G.  B.  Emerson. 


80  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


Young,  in  his  Teacher' 8  Manual^  remarks,  "We 
have  found,  in  practice,  that/orwi  is  the  most  striking 
quality  of  bodies,  and  therefore  the  best  to  commence 
with,  as,  from  its  being  capable  of  clearer  definition, 
it  is  more  easily  comprehended  than  any  other." 

The  first  exercise  may  be  devoted  to  lengthy  or  ex- 
tension in  one  direction.  The  teacher  draws  a  fine, 
straight  line  on  the  black-board,  and  explains  that  it 
has  length,  but  no  breadth  or  thickness.  He  then 
measures  it,  and  gives  various  illustrations  of  length, 
as  the  length  of  the  floor,  the  height  of  a  man,  the 
distance  across  a  field,  etc. 

A  mrface^  which  has  lengili  and  hreadth,  may  be  ex- 
plained and  illustrated  in  a  similar  manner ;  and  from 
these  the  teacher  will  pass,  by  natural  and  easy  steps, 
to  lines,  and  their  various  relations  and  conditions,  as 
horizonial,  jperpendicular,  oblique,  'parallel,  diverging,  curved, 
tvaving,  spiral,  etc.;  to  angles — right,  acute,  obtuse;  to 
plane  figures  —  the  triangle,  square,  rectangle,  rhombus, 
oblong,  rhomboid,  trapezium,  pentagon,  hexagon,  heptagon, 
octagon,  circle,  ellipse  ;  and  finally  to  the  different  forms 
of  solids  —  tetrahedron,  pyramid,  prism,  cube,  cylinder, 
cone,  sphere,  spheroid. 

As  the  pupils  advance  they  will  be  able  to  study 
the  parts  of  which  an  object  is  composed,  and  exam- 
ine its  properties  in  their  various  combinations  and 
relations.  They  will  learn  to  distinguish  animal, 
vegetahle  and  mineral  substances,  and  to  make  a  cor- 
rect application  of  such  terms  as  natural  and  artificial, 
simple  and  compound,  native  and  foreign,  indigenous  and 
exotic,  "  Every  new  discovery  which  results  from  the 
investigation  of  objects,  exercises  the  understanding, 
leads  to  a  knoAvledge  of  the  true  essence  of  things, 


superintendent's  report.  31 

and  stores  the  memory  with  adjectives  and  abstract 
nouns,  the  chief  materials  of  descriptive  and  philo- 
sophical language."  ^' 

Object  lessons  should  always  be  brief,  especially 
with  the  youngest  pupils.  They  should  be  so  inter- 
spersed among  the  other  exercises  of  the  day,  as  to 
afford  an  agreeable  variety  and  relaxation  to  the 
learner,  and  prepare  his  mind  to  engage  more  heartily 
and  successfully  in  other  duties.f 

*  Marcel. 

t  The  following  sketch  is  adapted  to  the  more  advanced  pupils  of  a  Primary 
School.  It  was  prepared  for  use  at  one  of  our  monthly  Teachers'  Institutes, 
and  is  introduced  here  as  a  specimen  lesson,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  afford  some 
practical  hints  that  will  be  of  service  to  inexperienced  teachers. 

A    BOOK. 

[Holding  a  book  before  the  class.] 

Teacher — What  are  the  parts  of  which  this  book  is  composed? 

Pupils — Cover,  paper,  leaves,  back,  printing,  ink,  pages,  etc. 

T. — Let  us  examine  the  covers  of  books ;  what  are  they  composed  of  ? 
P. — Leather,  cloth,  paper,  pasteboard,  glue,  gilding,  etc. 

T. — What  kinds  of  leather  are  used  in  binding  books?  P. — Sheepskin, 
calf,  Russia,  Morocco,  etc.  T. —  Which  are  the  strongest  kinds  of  binding? 
P. — Russia  and  calf.  T. — What  leather  is  used  most  in  binding  ?  P. — Sheep. 
T. — Why  ?    P. — Because  it  is  the  cheapest. 

(Passing  a  booh  in  Russia  binding  around  the  class.) 

T. — What  do  you  find  peculiar  in  Russia  leather  ?  P. — It  smells  different 
from  other  leather.  T. —  Can  you  tell  me  what  gives  it  this  peculiar  odor? 
P. — We  don't  know.  T. — It  is  the  oil  of  the  bark  of  the  birch  tree,  that  is 
used  in  currying  it.  Do  you  know  what  ci(rn/ means  ?  P. — It  means  to  dress 
the  leather,  to  cleanse  and  color  it,  and  prepare  it  to  be  used.  T. — Russia 
leather  is  veiy  much  valued  in  binding,  because  it  is  not  liable  to  mould,  and 
insects  never  injure  it. 

T. — Are  all  books  bound  in  leather  ?  P. — Some  are  bound  in  cloth  and 
some  in  paper ;  some  have  leather  backs  and  cloth  or  paper  side  covers. 

(Exhibit  specimens.) 

T. — What  is  used  to  give  strength  and  firmness  to  the  cover  of  a  book  ? 
P. — Pasteboard. 

(Exhibit  different  kinds  and  qualities  of  pasteboard.) 

T. — What  is  used  to  fasten  the  cloth  or  paper  to  the  pasteboard  ?  P. — Paste. 
T. — Of  what  is  paste  made  ?     P. — Flour  and  water,  boiled. 

T. — What  is  used  to  fasten  the  cover  to  the  back  of  a  book  ?    P. — Glue. 


32     '  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


Special  pains  should  be  taken  in  all  these  develop- 
ing lessons,  to  secure  as  complete  and  accurate  an 
answer  as  possible  to  every  question.  In  the  sketch 
given  belowj  the  answers  have  necessarily  been  con- 
siderably abridged;  but  this  should  not  be  allowed  in 
the  answers  given  by  the  children.  As  fast  as  new 
words  are  learned,  the  pupils  should  be  required  to 

(Exhibit  a  piece  of  glue.)  T. — Of  what  is  glue  made  ?  P. — We  do  n't  know. 
T. — It  is  made  of  the  clippings  of  hides  and  hoofs  of  animals,  by  boiling  them 
to  a  jelly.  (Put  a  piece  of  glue  hetioeen  two  booJcs  or  pieces  of  paper.)  T. —  Why 
do  not  these  books  stick  together  ?  P. — Because  the  glue  has  to  be  softened 
first  in  water,  and  then  heated. 

T. — Can  ycTu  think  of  anything  that  resembles  glue?  P. — Jujube  paste  re- 
sembles glue.  (Exhibit  specimen  of  jujube.)  T. — In  what  are  they  alike, 
and  in  what  unlike  1 

(Examine  and  test  their  properties,  and  introduce  and  explain  the  words  adhesive, 
brittle,  flexible,  elastic,  edible,  animal,  vegetable,  etc.  Compare  also  with  other 
adhesive  substances,  as  shoemakers'  wax,  wafers,  gum  ardbic,  mortar,  solder,  etc.) 

T. — What  are  the  letters  on  the  back  of  the  book  made  of?  One  pupil  says, 
gold ;  another  says,  I  do  n't  think  it  is  real  gold.  T. — Yes,  it  is  genuine  gold. 
Gold  leaf  is  first  spread  over  the  back  of  the  cover,  and  then  the  letters  are 
stamped  down  through  it  into  the  leather  or  cloth.  P. — I  should  think  it  would 
cost  a  good  deal.  T. — Gold  leaf  is  very  thin.  (Exhibit  a  specimen.)  It  would 
take  280,000  leaves  to  make  the  thickness  of  a  single  inch.  This  would  be  more 
than  you  could  count  in  two  days.  Of  course  one  thickness  of  it  would  not  be 
very  costly. 

T. — What  is  the  use  of  the  book  cover?  P. — To  preserve  the  book  and 
keep  it  neat. 

T. — What  do  you  call  the  person  that  covers  books  ?     P. — Bookbinder. 

In  a  similar  manner  the  teacher  can  proceed  to  speak  of  the  ink  employed 
in  printing  a  book,  and  compare  printers'  ink  with  writing  ink.  Ditferent  kinds 
of  books  may  be  explained  and  illustrated,  as  writing  books,  account  books, 
blank  books,  pass  books,  pocket  books,  etc.  The  terms_/o/?b,  quarto,  octavo  and 
duodecimo,  ma.y  here  be  learned  and  applied;  also  the  words  author,  compiler, 
editor,  publisher,  copyright,  the  difference  between  publisher  and  bookseller,  etc. 
The  attention  of  the  pupils  may  be  called  to  the  title  page,  the  phrases^rsf  edition, 
stereotype  edition,  revised  edition,  prface,  dedication,  running  title,  table  of  contents, 
index,  margin,  signatures  at  the  bottom  of  the  pages,  etc.  The  value  and 
uses  of  books  will  also  furnish  a  fruitful  topic  of  useful  conversation.  Children 
will  be  interested  in  talking  of  the  books  that  are  most  read — the  Bible, 
Pilgrim's  Progress,  Robinson  Crusoe,  etc. 

The  manufacture  of  paper,  of  which  books  are  chiefly  composed,  will,  of 
itself,  furnish  a  theme  sufficient  for  one  or  more  object  lessons,  and  the  fore- 
going sketch  covers  ground  enough  for  six  or  eight  separate  exercises. 


superintendent's  report.  33 

embody  them  in  spoken  or  written  sentences,  and 
thus  fasten  their  meaning  and  uses  securely  in  the 
memory.  The  first  efforts  of  children  in  the  art  of 
composition,  should  consist  of  the  easiest  forms  of 
simple  sentences,  but  a  shade  removed  from  common 
conversation.  These  may  first  be  given  orally,  and 
afterwards  copied  on  a  slate  or  on  paper.  By  this 
means,  the  pupils  will  not  only  be  spared  the  troubles 
that  usually  accompany  the  first  introduction  to  this 
art,  but  they  will  probablj^  find  some  difficulty  in 
fixing  the  exact  point  at  which  they  really  com- 
mence writing  compositions. 

WRITING   AND    DRAWING. 

The  rudiments  of  drawing  and  writing  should  re- 
ceive early  and  constant  attention  in  the  Primary 
School.  As  soon  as  children  are  able  to  read  the 
simplest  words,  they  should  be  taught  to  print  or 
write  them  on  their  slates.  They  have  time  enough 
and  to  spare ;  and  some  portion  of  it  may  be  more 
profitably  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  pencil  and 
crayon  than  to  any  other  employment.  Special  care 
should  be  taken  to  furnish  pupils  with  long  pencils. 
Short  pencils  lay  the  foundation  of  bad  habits  in 
holding  the  pen.  Any  teacher  who  is  willing  to 
spend  a  little  time  in  studying  the  principles  of 
linear  and  geometrical  drawing,  can  readily  qualify 
herself  to  teach  the  rudiments  of  this  art  to  a  class 
of  beginners.* 

*  "Linear  drawing,  which  supplies  the  deficiencies  of  descriptive  language, 
is  an  acquirement  indispensable  to  the  instructor.  It  may  be  made  a  most 
useful  instrument  of  teaching,  even  in  the  humblest  school.  In  the  exact,  the 
natural,  and  the  experimental  sciences,  especially,  he  who  has  command  of  this 
art,  is  never  at  a  loss  how  to  render  the  most  intricate  details  clear,  intelligible, 
and  interesting." — Marcel. 

3 


34  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


Drawing  is  generally  more  pleasing  to  children 
than  writing ;  and  as  an  exercise  for  their  construc- 
tive and  imitative  faculties^  it  is  decidedly  superior. 
It  affords  important  aid  in  learning  to  WTite,  by  giv- 
ing the  pupil  more  freedom  of  hand  and  correctness 
of  eye.* 

Drawing  also  serves  to  lead  the  young  mind  to 
observe  and  analyze  the  forms  of  things,  and  to  cul- 
tivate the  taste.  Elementary  lessons  in  geometrical 
drawing  are  an  important  preliminary  to  map  draw- 
ing and  other  illustrative  exercises  in  the  higher 
departments  of  instruction. 

READING   AND    SPELLING. 

Eeading,  the  most  important  branch  of  school 
instruction,  is  generally  the  most  imperfectly  taught, 
especially  in  the  Primary  Schools.  If  we  listen  to  a 
child  who  is  reading  the  most  colloquial  piece  that 
can  be  chosen,  how  marked  do  we  find  the  difference 
in  most  cases,  between  the  tones  and  modulations  he 
employs  and  those  of  common  conversation.  And 
why  do  we  not  find  the  same  natural  and  easy  tones 
and  inflections  in  reading  as  in  conversation  ?  The 
answer  is  a  sad  reflection  upon  the  manner  in  which 
reading  is  generally  taught  in  elementary  schools. 

That  this  evil  is  necessary,  no  intelligent  teacher 
believes.     If  we  look  for  the  seat  of  the  difficulty, 


*  "  Such  excellent  hand- writing  as  I  saw  in  the  Prussian  schools,  I  never 
saw  before.  I  can  hardly  express  myself  too  strongly  on  this  point.  In  Great 
Britain,  France,  or  in  our  own  country,  I  have  never  seen  any  schools  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  theirs  in  this  respect.  This  excellence  must  be  referred 
in  a  great  degree  to  the  universal  practice  of  learning  to  draw,  contempo- 
raneously with  learning  to  write.  I  believe  a  child  will  learn  both  to  draw  and 
to  write  sooner  and  with  more  ease,  than  he  will  learn  to  write  alone." — Mann. 


superintendent's  report.  35 

we  shall  probably  find  the  principal  cause  in  the  fact 
that  most  children  are  first  taught  to  call  the  names 
of  a  large  portion  of  the  words  they  read,  without 
understanding  their  meaning.  The  remedy  of  the 
evil  is  suggested  by  the  cause.  Let  no  unmeaning 
words  be  presented  to  the  young  learner,  and  let  no 
word  ever  be  read  without  being  understood.  It  is 
not  enough  that  the  word  has  a  meaning,  and  that 
the  child  is  presumed  to  understand  what  it  is-  the 
teacher  should  be  sure  that  the  child  actually  does 
understand  every  word  that  is  read.  The  first  words 
introduced  should  always  be  the  names  of  common 
and  familiar  objects.  The  objects  themselves  should 
be  referred  to,  and  if  possible  presented  to  the  test  of 
the  senses.  The  teacher  should  talk  with  the  pupils 
about  the  objects,  and  employ  the  words  in  simple 
and  familiar  sentences,  so  that  the  reading  may  be 
associated  with  common  conversation,  and  be  made 
as  nearly  like  it  as  possible.  These  directions  are 
very  few  and  very  simple,  and  they  have  been  given, 
substantially,  many  times  before,  and  yet,  if  they  had 
been  faithfully  followed  in  all  the  elementary  schools 
of  the  country,  we  should  probably  find  less  than 
half  the  unnatural  reading  which  we  nov/  witness. 

In  respect  to  the  manner  of  giving  children  their 
first  lessons  in  reading,  a  considerable  diversity  of 
practice  still  exists  in  different  places.  Some  teach- 
ers still  adhere  to  the  system  of  teaching  the  alphcibet 
first,  then  short  syllables,  and  then  words  and  senten- 
ces. Others  commence  with  the  sounds  of  the  letters, 
and  then  proceed  to  their  combination  in  words. 
Others  commence  with  luords,  and  afterwards  intro- 
duce the  sounds  and  names  of  the  letters  of  which 


36  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


they  are  composed.  Others  teach  a  few  letters  firsts 
by  their  names,  and  then  proceed  to  combine  these 
letters  in  simple  words ;  thus  teaching  the  alphabet 
and  words  simultaneously.  There  is,  however,  at  the 
present  time,  a  very  decided  tendency  to  what  is 
called  the  ivord  method.  Wherever  this  method  has 
been  tried,  it  has  been  found  to  possess  important 
advantages  over  all  other  systems,  and  it  is  safe  to 
predict  that  it  will  soon  find  its  way  into  all  the  best 
elementary  schools  of  the  country.  Words  have 
meaning ;  letters  have  none.  Words  are  as  easily 
learned  as  letters,  and  they  naturally  precede  letters. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  time  is  not  distant  when 
the  philosophy  of  education  will  be  better  understood, 
and  when  all  teachers  will  learn  that  it  is  safe  to  fol- 
low nature  in  our  efforts  to  cultivate  the  minds  of 
children.  Who  would  think  of  teachins;  a  child  the 
different  parts  of  which  a  tree  is  composed,  before  he 
has  learned  to  distinguish  the  tree  itself?  A  child 
does  not  learn  to  call  the  name  of  a  house  b}^  study- 
ing the  windows,  doors,  chimneys,  roof,  etc.,  but  he 
first  learns  to  recognize  the  house  as  a  whole,  and 
the  parts  that  compose  it  are  learned  afterwards.  So 
in  reading,  the  natural  order  is  to  learn  the  whole 
word  first,  and  afterwards  to  learn  the  names  and 
sounds  of  the  letters  composing  it.* 

=*  "  When  I  first  began  to  visit  the  Prussian  schools,  I  uniformly  inquired 
of  the  teachers,  whether,  in  teaching  children  to  read,  they  began  Avith  the 
names  of  the  letters,  as  given  in  the  alphabet.  Being  delighted  with  the 
prompt  negative  which  I  invariably  received,  I  persevered  in  making  the  in- 
quir}^,  until  I  began  to  perceive  a  look  and  tone  on  their  part  not  very  flattering 
to  my  intelligence,  in  considering  a  point  so  well  settled  as  this,  to  be  any 
longer  a  subject  of  discussion  or  doubt.  The  uniform  statement  was,  that  the 
alphabet,  as  such,  had  ceased  to  be  taught  as  an  exercise  preliminary  to  reading, 
for  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  by  every  teacher  in  the  kingdom." — Mann's 
Seventh  Annual  Report  to  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education,  1844. 


superintendent's  report.  37 

But  the  best  recommendation  of  the  tuord  method^ 
is  the  success  that  has  attended  its  introduction.  We 
have,  in  our  own  schools,  some  very  marked  exam- 
ples illustrating  the  superiority  of  this  system.  Sev- 
eral of  our  teachers  have,  during  the  last  year,  by 
employing  this  method,  advanced  their  classes  more 
rapidly  and  successfully  than  would  have  been  pos- 
sible by  any  other  means.  One  great  excellence  of 
the  system  is  the  aid  it  affords  in  teaching  children 
to  read  naturally  and  with  correct  expression.  If  no 
other  object  were  accomplished,  this  alone  w^ould  be 
sufficient  to  recommend  it  to  the  favorable  regard  of 
school  officers  and  teachers. 

The  exact  point  at  w^hich  the  names  of  the  letters 
are  to  be  introduced,  is  not  a  matter  of  much  im- 
portance, so  that  we  preserve  the  main  features  of 
the  system  unimpaired.  The  natural  order  of  the 
different  steps  is  manifestly  the  following :  First,  the 
object  itself  is  presented  to  the  senses ;  next,  the  name 
of  the  object  is  pronounced  and  learned.  As  the 
spoken  word  consists  of  sounds^  the  next  step  in  order 
is  to  analyze  the  sounds  and  utter  them  separately. 
After  this,  the  names  of  the  letters  are  to  be  learned. 

If  any  teachers  prefer  to  teach  the  names  of  the 
letters  as  fast  as  they  occur  in  the  words  learned,  no 
harm  can  result  from  such  a  course.  But  the  sounds 
of  the  letters,  which  are  the  real  elements  of  all 
spoken  words,  should  by  all  means  be  learned  as 
early  as  the  names."^ 

*  "  The  old,  and  in  many  places  obsolete  method,  first,  of  teaching  the  al- 
phabet by  showing  the  letters,  causing  their  names  to  be  repeated  without  any 
regard  to  the  sounds  they  represent,  and  then  of  teaching  spelling  by  calling 
the  names  of  certain  letters  in  combination,  and  of  pronouncing  the  syllable  or 
word  without  any  reference  to  the  separate  elementary  sounds  which,  when 
united,  constitute  the  word,  will  now  find  but  few^intelligent  defenders." — Dk. 
Sears. 


38  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


If,  in  any  case,  a  teacher  has  not  herself  been  ac- 
customed to  give  the  elementary  sounds  of  the 
letters,  she  can  easily  acquire  this  power,  by  first 
pronouncing  a  word  slowly  and  distinctly,  fixing  the 
attention  upon  the  sound  of  any  particular  letter, 
and  then,  while  this  sound  is  still  on  the  ear,  utter- 
ins;  it  alone.  If  it  is  desired  to  learn  the  sound  of  a 
in  «//,  first  speak  the  word  all^  and  then  commence 
the  word  and  stop  on  the  first  sound.  So  also,  if  the 
sound  of  r,  as  in  harm^  is  to  be  learned ;  first  speak 
the  word  with  the  attention  directed  to  the  sound  of 
r,  then  speak  the  first  part  of  the  word,  stopping 
with  the  sound  of  r,  and  finally  utter  the  sound  of  r 
by  itself  Any  teacher  may,  in  this  way,  become 
her  own  instructor,  and  if  she  is  able  to  utter  cor- 
rectly all  the  sounds  of  a  word  as  they  occur  in 
combination,  she  will  readily  learn  to  give  them 
separately.* 

The  charts  prescribed  by  the  Board  of  Education 
for  the  use  of  our  Primary  Schools,  are  a  very  suc- 
cessful embodiment  of  the  ivord  method  of  teaching, 
and  the  schools  have  already  derived  material  benefit 
from  them.     In  a  few  instances,  teachers,  who  were 

*  "  To  teach  enunciation  and  articulation  properly,  the  teacher  needs  to  be 
able  criticall}'  to  analyze  words,  so  that  he  can  detect  the  precise  fault  of  his 
pupil.  That  the  word  does  not  sound  correctly  to  his  ear,  and  to  repeat  it  for 
the  imitation  of  the  scholar,  is  not  enough.  He  must  be  able  to  show  him  just 
what  organs  of  speech  are  employed  in  the  pronunciation,  and  to  train  him  in 
their  proper  use.  For  instance,  a  pupil  pronounces  the  word  divide,  diwide. 
To  repeat  the  word  correctly  a  hundred  times,  in  his  hearing,  is  scarcely  of  any 
avail.  He  does  not  know  how  to  use  the  ton(jue,  teeth  and  lips.  His  teacher 
detecting  in  Avhat  syllable  and  in  what  sound  the  difficulty  lies,  must  show  him 
that  the  lower  lip  must  be  placed  under  the  upper  teeth,  and  the  upper  lip  kept 
from  touching  it,  by  the  fore  finger,  if  necessary,  and  that  the  organs  being 
thus  held,  he  can  hardly  help  giving  the  sound  correctly." — Report  of  A.  J. 
RiCKOFF,  Superintendent  of  Common  Schools,  Cincinnati. 


superintendent's  report.  39 

not  accustomed  to  this  method,  have  reversed  the 
order  of  the  charts,  and  commenced  with  No.  6,  which 
embraces  the  alphabet,  instead  of  No.  1,  which  is  com- 
posed mostly  of  words.  The  directions  at  the  bottom 
of  each  chart  are  so  plain  and  full,  that  it  is  difficult 
to  account  for  any  such  mistake  in  regard  to  the 
proper  manner  of  using  them. 

Another  important  direction  to  be  observed  in 
teaching  the  elements  of  reading,  is  to  give  constant 
and  special  attention  to  articulation.  There  can  be  no 
good  reading  without  correctness  of  articulation  ;  and 
it  is  far  easier  to  form  good  habits  at  first,  than  to 
correct  bad  ones  at  a  later  period.  I  am  happy  to 
be  able  to  speak  in  terms  of  the  highest  commenda- 
tion of  many  of  our  Primary  teachers,  in  this  par- 
ticular. In  several  instances,  teachers  who  are  verv 
unfavorably  situated,  have  triumphed  over  all  obsta- 
cles, and  imparted  to  their  pupils  a  uniform  habit  of 
accurate  and  distinct  articulation.  Whole  classes  of 
children,  who  at  home  speak  and  hear  only  a  foreign 
language,  have  been  taught  to  enunciate  English 
words  with  the  greatest  clearness  and  precision. 
There  are,  however,  other  examples,  in  which  much 
less  attention  is  given  to  this  subject  than  it  deserves. 

As  fast  as  words  are  learned  and  the  names  and 
sounds  of  the  letters  composing  them,  the  pupils 
should  be  taught  to  spell  the  words,  both  by  the 
sounds  and  by  the  names  of  the  letters;  and  this 
practice  should  be  carried  forward  simultaneously 
with  the  exercises  in  reading. 

It  can  hardly  be  necessary  to  say,  that  while  a 
class  is  engaged  in  reading,  it  should  receive  the 
undivided  attention  of  the  teacher.     If  the  teacher 


40  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


is  necessarilj^  called  away,  by  all  means  suspend  the 
exercise.  It  is  far  better  to  omit  a  lesson  altogether^ 
than  to  leave  the  pupils  to  read  by  themselves.  The 
voice  of  the  teacher  should  be  frequently  heard  in 
every  reading  exercise,  as  an  example  for  the  scholars 
to  imitate.  It  is  by  imitation  that  children  learn  to 
talk,  and  their  skill  and  accuracy  in  reading  will 
depend  mainly  upon  the  character  of  the  models 
which  are  brought  before  them.  A  child  may  make 
a  dozen  trials  in  reading  a  sentence,  and  not  only 
fail  every  time,  but  read  it  worse  and  worse,  if  he 
does  not  hear  it  read  correctly  by  the  teacher  or  by 
some  member  of  the  class.  So  also,  in  preparing  an 
exercise  in  spelling,  it  is  highly  important  that  young 
pupils  should  hear  the  words  pronounced  by  the 
teacher.  A  very  useful  method  is,  for  the  teacher 
first  to  pronounce  all  the  words  of  the  lesson  dis- 
tinctly, while  the  pupils  listen  attentively  and  point 
to  the  words  in  their  books,  as  they  are  pronounced. 
Next,  the  teacher  pronounces  one  word,  which  is 
repeated  by  the  first  scholar  in  the  class;  then  another 
word,  which  is  repeated  by  the  second  scholar,  and 
so  on.  After  this,  the  teacher  and  the  class  pronounce 
in  concert,  and  then  the  class  pronounce  in  concert 
without  the  teacher.  The  exercise  may  be  varied, 
by  having  the  first  scholar  pronounce  a  word,  which 
is  repeated  by  the  class  in  concert ;  the  next  scholar 
the  second  word,  which  is  repeated  by  the  class,  and 
so  on.  Or  the  scholars  collectively  may  alternate 
with  the  teacher,  she  pronouncing  one  word,  and  the 
class  the  next."^ 

*  See  Bumstead's  Spelling  and  Tliinldng  Combined. 


superintendent's  report.  41 

The  following  method  will  be  found  highly  useful 
in  securing  the  attention  of  Primer  classes,  and  giving 
to  each  pupil  the  benefit  of  reading  the  whole  lesson, 
or  such  portion  of  it  as  may  be  desired :  Let  one 
scholar  read  the  first  sentence ;  then  let  the  class 
follow,  reading  the  same  in  concert,  and  pointing  to 
all  the  words  as  they  read.  Let  the  next  scholar 
read  the  second  sentence,  and  the  class  follow  in 
concert  as  before,  and  so  on.  If  this  exercise  is 
properly  conducted,  it  will  advance  a  class  very  much 
faster  than  the  method  of  hearing  each  pupil  read  a 
sentence  in  turn,  without  the  concert  practice. 

Great  care  should  be  taken,  in  all  concert  exercises, 
to  secure  free  and  natural  tones  of  voice.  It  is 
always  better  to  dispense  with  exercises  in  concert, 
than  to  have  them  become  a  means  of  forming  bad 
habits  in  modulation  and  inflection.  We  have  in 
our  schools  a  large  number  of  teachers  for  whom 
this  caution  is  specially  intended.  The  most  marked 
examples  of  these  unnatural  tones  and  modula- 
tions, are  witnessed  in  the  classes  that  repeat  in 
concert  the  arithmetical  tables  and  the  sounds  of  the 
letters. 

I  have  dwelt  at  considerable  length  upon  the 
Primary  Schools,  because  they  are  of  primary  import- 
ance, and  because  I  believe  they  have  not  hitherto 
received  their  due  share  of  attention.  I  wall  only 
add,  that  these  schools  are  suffering  very  much  from 
the  want  of  a  few  simple  articles  of  illustrative 
apparatus.  Notwithstanding  the  pressing  calls  in 
other  directions  for  the  use  of  all  our  funds,  I  feel 
constrained  to  ask  for  each  of  the  Primary  Schools  a 
Numeral  Frame   and   a  small   Box   of  Geometrical 


42  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


Diagrams  and  Solids.     The  cost  for  each  set  will  not 
exceed  five  dollars. 

GRAMMAR   SCHOOLS.     • 

The  Grammar  Schools  are  less  crowded  than  the 
Primary  Schools,  and  their  progress  during  the  past 
year  has  furnished  abundant  evidence  of  the  untiring 
assiduity  of  both  teachers  and  pupils. 

Penmanship. — In  the  department  of  writing,  the 
effort  made  during  the  present  term,  by  a  special 
course  of  lessons,  has  been  attended  with  the  happiest 
results.  In  many  of  the  schools,  the  standard  of 
excellence  had  fallen  very  low ;  but  the  writing  is 
now  uniformly  good  in  all  the  schools,  and  in  most 
of  them  the  degree  of  improvement  is  such  as  is 
rarely  witnessed  in  so  short  a  period  of  time.  I  would 
again  invite  the  attention  of  the  Board  to  the  im- 
portance of  employing  a  teacher  of  penmanship, 
who  may  pass  from  school  to  school,  and  devote  all 
his  time  to  this  branch  of  instruction.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  we  shall  ever  be  able  to  secure  a  satisfactory 
standard  in  writing,  unless  such  a  measure  is  adopted. 

Reciting  ly  Topics, — A  system  of  reciting  by  Topics 
has  been  introduced  by  many  of  the  teachers  of  the 
more  advanced  divisions,  in  connection  with  the 
study  of  Geography,  History,  and  some  other  branch- 
es. This  mode  of  reciting  leaves  the  pupils  mostly 
to  their  own  resources.  It  secures  a  more  thorough 
and  systematic  preparation  of  the  lessons,  and  fur- 
nishes important  aid  in  imparting  that  discipline  of 
mind  which  is  more  valuable  than  knowledge.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  that  this  system  will  be  adopted  still 
more  extensively  in  our  Grammar  Schools. 


superintendent's  report.  43 

General  Supervision  hy  Principals. — In  several  of  the 
new  school  buildings,  the  number  of  teachers  and 
pupils  is  now  so  large,  that  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  Principal's  time  is  consumed  in  attending  to 
matters  of  general  oversight,  and  in  giving  such  aid 
to  the  other  teachers  as  may  be  necessary  to  secure 
uniformity  and  efficiency  in  all  the  different  depart- 
ments. This  militates  seriously  against  the  successful 
progress  of  the  master's  division ;  and  I  would  sug- 
gest that  it  may  be  desirable  to  make  some  special 
provision  by  which  the  Principals  of  the  larger 
schools  will  be  relieved  from  the  immediate  charge 
of  their  own  rooms  during  a  portion  of  each  day,  for 
the  purpose  of  attending  to  the  general  interests  of 
their  respective  schools.  While  it  is  true  that  in 
some  of  the  schools  these  frequent  demands  upon 
the  master's  time  in  the  other  divisions  greatly  im- 
pede the  progress  of  his  own  classes,  it  is  also  true 
that  in  other  cases  the  subordinate  departments  are 
left  to  suffer,  because  the  Principal  does  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  leave  his  own  room  and  give  them  the 
attention  which  they  require.  Whatever  policy  may 
be  adopted  in  respect  to  the  amount  of  time  which 
the  Principals  shall  be  expected  to  give  to  the  rooms 
of  the  other  teachers,  it  is  important  that  there 
should  be  a  more  definite  understanding  on  this 
point  and  greater  uniformity  of  practice^  than  now 
exists.* 


*  "A  considerable  difference  was  observed  in  the  amount  of  personal  atten- 
tion bestowed  by  the  Principals  upon  the  lower  classes  of  their  schools.  In 
some  schools,  a  portion  of  each  day,  and  in  certain  others,  one  or  two  half 
days  in  each  week,  are  set  apart  for  the  inspection  and  examination  of  the 
lower  classes.  This,  an  excellent  practice,  should  be  encouraged.  Every  head 
assistant  should  be  capable  of  managing  and  teaching  the  first  division,  during 


44  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


The  Grammar  Scliools,  with  a  single  exception, 
are  still  suffering  from  an  almost  entire  destitution  of 
reference  books  and  apparatus.  If  each  school  could 
be  suj)plied  with  only  a  globe  of  moderate  size,  and 
a  co|)y  of  Lippincott's  Gazetteer,  it  would  greatly 
facilitate  the  labors  of  both  teachers  and  pupils. 

HIGH    SCHOOL. 

It  is  now  nearly  three  years  since  this  institution 
was  organized,  and  it  is  already  firmly  implanted  in 
the  confidence  and  affections  of  the  city.  The  course 
of  instruction  and  discipline  is  thorough  and  com- 
plete, and  challenges  comparison  with  that  of  the 
best  High  Schools  of  the  country.  The  valuable 
Philosophical  and  Chemical  Apparatus  recently  pro- 
cured, at  an  expense  of  one  thousand  dollars,  through 
the  kindness  and  liberality  of  the  friends  of  the 
School,  and  the  donation  of  a  large  and  powerful 
Oxy-Hydrogen  Microscope,  and  accompanying  dia- 
grams, by  Samuel  Hoard,  Esq.,  have  removed  the 
greatest  obstacle  to  the  success  of  the  School  that 
has  heretofore  existed. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  record,  in  this  connection, 
the  generous  donation  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars by  Thomas  B.  Bryan,  Esq.,  the  interest  of  which 
is  to  be  appropriated  annually  to  constitute  the  most 
deserving  graduate  of  the  High  School  a  life  member 
of  the  Young  Men's  Association  of  Chicago. 

The  Normal  Department  of  the  High  School  was 
established  for  the  special  purpose  of  training  female 

the  master's  absence  from  the  room,  so  as  to  allow  him  the  necessary  time  for 
this  important  work.  This  is  the  only  practical  method  of  securing  a  uniform 
and  harmonious  progress  in  a  large  school,  instructed  by  a  number  of  teachers.' 
— J.  D.  Philbrick,  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools,  Boston. 


superintendent's  report.  45 

teachers  for  our  own  schools.  It  has  now  been  in 
operation  two  years  and  a  half,  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed that  the  results  of  the  enterprise  thus  far, 
have  not  equalled  our  expectations.  It  has  furnished 
us  with  a  few  excellent  teachers,  but  the  number  of 
this  class  is  by  no  means  answerable  to  the  out- 
lay required  in  sustaining  the  department.  The 
number  of  pupils  is  now  somewhat  increased,  but  the 
prospect  of  an  increased  supply  of  the  class  of  teach- 
ers that  we  require,  is  not,  I  regret  to  say,  very 
much  improved. 

The  obstacles  to  success  in  this  department  are  not 
in  the  instructions  furnished,  for  these  have  uniformly 
been  of  the  highest  order ;  but  they  are,  as  I  believe, 
mostly  to  be  found  in  the  conditions  of  membership. 
The  average  age  of  the  pupils  is  now  several  months 
lower  than  it  was  two  years  ago,  and  it  w^as  then  too 
low  by  two  or  three  years.  The  terms  of  admission 
are  still  such,  that  a  considerable  portion  of  those 
who  would  derive  the  greatest  benefit  from  normal 
instruction,  are  effectually  excluded,  wdiile  many  of 
those  who  now  belong  to  the  Normal  School  are  en- 
tirely out  of  place,  and  should  be  transferred  to  the 
other  departments. 

The  form  of  examination  prescribed  for  the  admis- 
sion of  pupils  to  the  Classical  and  English  Depart- 
ments of  the  High  School,  is  a  very  unsatisfactory 
test  of  fitness  to  enter  the  Normal  Department.  A 
high  rank  of  scholarship  is  often  found  associated 
with  an  entire  destitution  of  those  peculiar  qualities 
of  mind  and  heart  which  are  essential  to  success  in 
discharging  the  duties  of  the  teacher.' 


46  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


I  would  respectfully  recommend  that  the  minimum 
age  of  admission  to  the  Normal  Department  be  here- 
after changed  from  fifteen  to  sixteen  years ;  that  the 
examination  of  candidates  be  disconnected  entirely 
from  the  examinations  for  admission  to  the  other 
departments,  and  that,  in  special  cases,  pupils  be  re- 
ceived at  other  times  than  the  two  regular  periods  of 
examination,  provided  there  are  vacant  seats,  and  the 
candidates  are  prepared  to  enter  existing  classes. 

For  more  particular  information  respecting  the 
High  School,  permit  me  to  refer  to  the  Report  of  the 
Principal. 

MUSIC. 

The  movement  in  favor  of  introducing  vocal  music 
as  a  branch  of  Public  School  Instruction  in  this  coun- 
try, was  first  made  in  Boston,  in  1837.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  there  are  very  few  good  schools  to  be  found 
in  which  this  branch  does  not  receive  more  or  less 
attention. 

The  time  devoted  to  Music  in  the  Public  Schools 
of  this  city,  is  not  sufficient  to  enable  the  pupils  to 
master  the  subject,  but  the  progress  made  during  the 
past  year  has  been  very  commendable,  both  in  the 
theory  and  practice  of  this  important  art.  The  sys- 
tem adopted  by  the  teacher  of  music  is  substantially 
the  same  as  that  of  Lowell  Mason,  which  has  been 
received  with  general  favor  in  the  schools  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  other  Eastern  States. 

The  first  lessons,  especially  in  the  Primary  Schools, 
consist  chiefly  of  practicing  songs  and  hymns  by  rote^ 
but  the  pupils  are  early  introduced  to  scale  exercises, 
first  by  rote,  and  afterwards  by  dictation.  These 
exercises  are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  lead  the  pupils 


superintendent's  report.  47 

to  an  appreciation  of  the  relations  of  pitch.  When 
these  relations  are  so  well  understood  that  the  learn- 
er is  able  to  sing  correctly  by  dictation,  he  is  carried 
forward  to  the  sight  representation  by  the  degrees 
of  the  staff. 

Considerable  time  is  necessarily  devoted  to  pieces 
for  recreation  and  for  devotional  purposes.  These 
are  first  learned  by  rote,  and  afterwards  analyzed  for 
the  purpose  of  deducing  the  general  principles  by 
which  the  pupil  is  to  be  guided  in  singing  at  sight. 
As  early  as  practicable,  the  classes  are  advanced  from 
the  written  forms  of  tunes  previously  learned  by 
rote,  to  the  reading  of  those  which  are  entirely  new. 
By  adopting  this  course  of  instruction,  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  more  advanced  pupils  acquire  the  ability 
to  perform  the  exercises  intelligently,  and  to  read 
music  with  a  good  degree  of  facility  and  accuracy. 

ATTENDANCE. 

Membership. — The  average  niimher  of  pupils  belonging 
to  all  the  schools,  including  the  High  School,  during 


the  year 

1858, 

,  was 

5,516 

Avera< 

^e 

number 

belonging 

in  1857, 

4,464 

a 

a 

6i 

«  1856, 

3,688 

u 

CC 

CC 

"  1855, 

2,154 

cc 

CC 

CC 

"  1854, 

1,629 

C6 

CC 

CC 

"  1853, 

1,795 

<i 

CC 

CC 

«   1852, 

1,521 

CC 

CC 

CC 

«   1851, 

1,409 

CC 

CC 

CC 

«   1850, 

1,224 

It  will  be  seen  by  these  results,  that  the  average 
number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  all  the  schools,  has 
more  than  doubled  during  the  last  three  years. 


48 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


Average  Attendance. — The  average  daily  attendance 
upon  all  the  schools,  mcluding  the  High  School,  dur- 
ing 1858,  was  4^824 

Average  daily  attendance  in  1857,  3,494 

"  1856,  2,649 

PunctiiaUtg. — The  following  table  exhibits  ihejyer 
cent,  of  average  attendance^  in  the  several  Grammar  and 
Primary  Schools,  on  the  average  number  helonging,  for 
1857  and  1858: 


issr- 

1858. 

SCHOOLS. 

GRAMMAR 

dep"t. 

PRIMARY 
DEFT. 

BOTH. 

GRAMMAR 

dep't. 

PRIMARY 

dep't. 

BOTH. 

Dearborn 

Jones  

85 
85 
91 
81 
83 
74 
88 
87 
85 
90 

70 
75 

74 
73 
74 
66 
78 
80 
78 
79 

75 

78 
81 
75 
79 
69 
80 
83 
80 
83 

92 

92 
93 
91 
93 
88 
94 
93 
94 
95 

78 
84 
77 
79 
88 
84 
86 
90 
87 
91 

83 

86 
83 
84 
90 
86 
89 
92 
89 
93 

Scammon 

Kinzie 

Franklin 

Washington 

Moseley 

Brown 

Foster 

Osfden 

Average 

85 

73 

77 

93 

84 

87 

Attendance  Ride. — At  the  commencement  of  1858, 
the  Board  of  Education  adopted  the  following  rule 
respecting  absences  from  school  : 

"Every  scholar  in  the  Grammar  Schools  who  shall  be  absent  six 
half  days  in  four  consecutive  Tveeks,  and  every  scholar  in  the  Primary 
Schools  who  shall  be  absent  eight  half  days  in  four  consecutive  weeks, 
without  an  excuse  from  the  parent  or  guardian,  given  either  in  person 
or  by  written  note,  satisfying  the  teacher  that  the  absences  were  caused 
by  his  own  sickness  or  by  sickness  in  the  family,  shall  forfeit  his  seat 
in  the  school ;  and  the  teacher  shall  forthwith  notify  the  parent  and  the 
Superintendent  that  the  pupil  is  suspended.  No  pupil  thus  suspended 
shall  be  restored  to  school  till  the  parent  or  guardian  has  given  satis- 
factory assurance  that  the  pupil  will  be  punctual  in  the  future,  and 
obtained  permission  from  the  Superintendent  for  him  to  return." 


superintendent's  report.  49 

The  practical  working  of  this  rule  during  the  last 
year,  has  furnished  abundant  evidence  of  the  wisdom 
of  its  adoption.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing 
table,  that  the  per  cent,  of  absences  during  1858, 
was  only  a  little  more  than  one-half  as  great  as  the 
per  cent,  of  absences  in  1857.  The  value  of  this 
gain  in  regularity  of  attendance,  cannot  be  over  es- 
timated. It  affects  the  whole  tone  and  character  of 
the  schools. 

It  is  also  gratifying  to  know  that  the  rule  adopted 
by  the  Board  has  o-iven  almost  universal  satisfaction. 
In  a  few  instances,  parents  who  looked  only  to  the 
inconvenience  it  occasions  to  pupils  that  are  habitu- 
ally irregular  in  their  habits  of  attendance,  have 
thought  the  rule  unreasonable.  On  the  other  hand, 
nearly  all  the  parents  of  children  attending  the  public 
schools,  have  given  it  their  most  cordial  support. 

The  universal  complaint  for  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  has  been,  that  irregularity  in  attend- 
ance was  destroying,  in  a  great  degree,  the  success  of 
the  free  school  system,  and  that  no  remedy  could  be 
devised  which  proved  effectual  in  removing  the  evil. 
The  injustice  of  suffering  the  progress  of  a  whole 
school  to  be  constantly  retarded  by  the  persistent 
irregularity  of  a  few  of  its  members,  was  everywhere 
felt,  and  the  experiment  of  making  some  degree  of 
regularity  in  attendance  a  condition  of  membership, 
was  at  length  tried.  The  success  of  this  new  rule 
was  in  the  highest  degree  satisfactory,  and  its  rapid 
adoption  in  cities  and  larger  towns,  during  the  last 
three  or  four  years,  has  done  very  much  to  improve 

4 


50  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


the  condition  of  the  schools  *  Wherever  it  has  been 
introduced,  the  number  of  absences  for  other  causes 
than  sickness,  has  been  reduced  more  than  one-half 

The  rule  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Education  in 
this  city,  does  not  exclude  from  the  schools  any  chil- 
dren whose  parents  put  forth  sufficient  effort  to  secure 
an  ordinary  degree  of  punctuality,  and  when  a  seat 
has  been  forfeited,  the  pupil  is  not  necessarily  de- 
prived of  the  privileges  of  the  school,  except  for  a 
single  day. 

Whole  Nimiber  Enrolled,  —  The  whole  number  of  dif- 
ferent pupils  in  1858,  including  those  of  the  High 

School,  was 12,873 

Whole  number  in  1857,       -         .         -     10,786 

"   1856,   -        -        -  8,577 

"  "        "   1855,       -        -        -      6,826 

*  In  looking  over  our  exchange  reports,  I  observe  that  the  following  among 
other  cities  have  already  adopted  a  rule,  embracing  in  some  form  the  principle 
that  habitual  irregularity  of  attendance  is  a  sufficient  cause  for  depriving  a  pupil 
temporarily  of  his  seat  in  school :  St.  Louis,  Dubuque,  Detroit,  Cincinnati, 
Cleveland,  Chillicothe,  Buffalo,  Oswego,  Rochester,  Hartford,  New  Haven, 
New  London,  Providence,  Boston,  Worcester,  Bath,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore, 
Charleston,  Mobile,  New  Orleans,  Nashville,  and  San  Francisco. 

"  However  it  may  seem  to  the  inquirer  into  the  right  of  the  School  Board,  as 
guardians  of  the  educational  interests  of  the  community,  to  enforce  the  regular 
attendance  of  school  children,  for  their  oven  sakes,  it  cannot  be  questioned  that 
the  Board  ought  to  protect  the  rights  of  those  who  do  attend  regularly,  so  that 
the  benefits  they  are  entitled  to  expect  from  regular  attendance  may  not  be  im- 
paired by  the  careless  or  improvident.  I  have  a  right  to  breathe  the  air  of 
heaven,  I  have  a  right  under  the  common  law  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the 
stream  that  runs  by  my  door;  but  I  have  no  right  to  the  enjoyment  of  those 
common  blessings  so  as  to  impair  the  purity  of  the  one,  or  the  value  of  the 
other,  for  the  uses  of  my  next  neighbor.  Just  so  in  the  case  of  Common 
Schools.  I  have  no  right  in  reason,  and  under  the  law  ought  to  have  none,  to 
send  my  boy  or  girl  to  school,  so  as  to  keep  my  neighbor's  children  from  ad- 
vancing as  rapidly  as  their  talents  and  industry  may  enable  them." — Report  of 
A.  J.  RiCKOFF,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Cincinnati. 


superintendent's  report.  51 

One  very  serious  impediment  to  the  success  of  the 
schools,  is  the  frequent  changes  that  take  place  in 
their  membership.  The  average  number  belonging 
to  the  schools  during  1858,  was  5,516.  The  number 
of  admissions  during  the  year,  was  over  11,000,  and 
the  number  of  discharges  over  10,000.  This  is 
nearly  equivalent  to  two  entire  changes  of  all  the 
pupils  belonging  to  the  schools,  during  a  single  year. 
More  than  one-fourth  of  all  the  pupils  enrolled  dur- 
ing 1858,  attended  school  less  than  three  months. 
In  many  instances  the  same  pupils  entered  and  left 
three  or  four  times  during  the  year,  and  a  large 
number  moved  from  one  district  to  another.  The 
average  length  of  time  during  which  all  the  pupils 
were  enrolled  as  members  of  the  schools,  was  only 
four  and  one-fourth  months.  This  evil  results  mainly 
from  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city,  and  the  changing 
character  of  the  population,  but  it  might  be  mate- 
rially lessened  if  parents  could  be  brought  to  feel  the 
importance  of  having  their  children  attend  school 
more  constantly. 

The  number  of  pupils  enrolled  as  members  of  the 
schools,  from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  1858, 
without  interruption,  was  1,737. 

The  number  of  pupils  in  the  Grammar  and  Pri- 
mary Schools,  who  were  present  every  half  day  of 
school  during  the  year  1858,  was-  32. 


52 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


The  following  are  their  names : 


DEARBORN  SCHOOL. 

Rhineholt  Pereolet, 
Isabella  H.  Thompson. 

JONES  SCHOOL. 

Rosa  Harper, 
William  Harper, 
Henry  Rochons. 

SCAMMON   SCHOOL. 

Adolph  Borman, 
Amos  Chambers, 
Frank  Cogger, 
Mary  Purnold, 
John  B.  Klein, 
George  McLier, 
W^illiam  Read, 
Brayton  Saltonstall, 
Dexter  Jennings, 
Marshall  Wait, 
George  Wilson. 

FRANKLIN   SCHOOL. 

Samuel  Wright, 
Malvina  Wilkelmann. 


WASHINGTON    SCHOOL. 

Emily  Lewis, 
Mary  Marony, 
Prances  Marony. 

BROWN   SCHOOL. 

Ella  Moore, 
Pletcher  Wingrave. 

FOSTER   SCHOOL. 

Richard  Edgeworth, 
Mary  Mackey. 

OGDEN   SCHOOL. 

Abbott  L.  Adams, 
Daniel  Ducket, 
William  Plemming, 
George  A.  McLane, 
Lizzie  Henderson, 
Robert  Templeton, 
Ella  P.  Randall. 


The  number  of  pupils  in  the  Grammar  and  Pri- 
mary Schools^  that  were  enrolled  as  members  of  the 
schools  during  the  whole  of  1858,  and  were  not 
tardy  in  a  single  instance,  was  262. 

The  number  of  teachers  employed  in  the  Public 
Schools  in  February,  1859,  was  101.  In  February, 
1856,  the  number  was  42. 

SCHOOL    STATISTICS. 

The  subject  of  School  Statistics  demands  more 
careful  attention  from  Teachers  and  Boards  of  Edu- 
cation, than  it  has  hitherto  received.     If  the  records 


superintendent's  report.  53 

of  a  school  are  properly  kept,  in  the  hands  of  a  judi- 
cious teacher  they  become  an  important  auxiliary  to 
the  healthful  discipline  and  progress  of  the  school, 
and  at  the  close  of  a  term,  or  year,  the  general  sum- 
maries and  averages  afford  valuable  information  re- 
specting the  character  and  success  of  the  school,  and 
its  just  claims  to  continued  favor  and  support. 

In  many  schools  the  records  are  so  meagre  or  so 
inaccurate,  that  very  little  practical  benefit  can  be 
derived  from  them.  In  others  they  are  so  compli- 
cated and  minute,  that  teachers  find  it  impossible  to 
devote  the  time  required  by  them,  without  neglect- 
ing other  important  duties.'-* 

Such  records  only  should  be  required  as  will  be  of 
some  practical  value  or  general  interest,  and  the 
greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  make  the  directions 
for  keeping  them  so  plain  and  explicit,  that  even  an 
inexperienced  teacher,  with  ordinary  care,  will  be  in 
no  danger  of  falling  into  errors. 

The  three  essential  elements  of  the  records  which 
are  designed  more  particularly  to  aid  the  teacher  in 
raising  the  standard  of  scholarship  and  discipline, 
are  attendance^  schoIarsMiJ  and  deportment. 

In  respect  to  the  records  from  which  the  general 
summaries  are  prepared  at  the  close  of  the  year,  it 
is  to  be  regretted  that  so  little  uniformity  exists  in 
different  cities.  The  practice  of  exchanging  school 
reports  now  prevails  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and 
comparisons  are  constantly  made  respecting  the  cost 

*  "  School  statistics  are  far  inferior,  in  completeness  and  accuracy,  to  the 
commercial,  manufacturing  and  agricultural  statistics  of  the  day.  It  ought  not 
to  be  so,  for  certainly  the  products  of  the  school-room  can  vie  in  value  with  the 
products  of  the  farm  or  the  factory." — A.  J.  Rickoff,  Superintendent  of  Schools, 
Cincinnati. 


54  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


of  instruction,  regularity  of  attendance,  etc. ;  but  the 
data  from  which  these  results  are  obtained,  are  so 
different  in  different  cities,  that  the  comparisons,  in  a 
majority  of  cases,  are  entirely  unreliable.  In  one 
city,  the  cost  of  instruction  for  each  scholar  is  based 
on  the  average  number  enrolled  during  the  year,  and  in 
another,  on  the  ivhole  mmiber.  In  one,  the  cost  of 
instruction  embraces  all  the  expenditures  for  school 
purposes,  including  permanent  investments  \  in  an- 
other, it  includes  the  current  expenses  for  tuition, 
supplies  and  repairs,  together  with  five  or  six  per 
cent,  on  the  whole  valuation  of  the  school  estates, 
which  is  regarded  as  rent ;  and  in  a  third,  it  includes 
only  tuition,  supplies  and  repairs. 

In  one  city,  a  pupil  who  is  absent  from  school  a 
single  week,  is  marked  as  left,  and  his  absences  no 
longer  affect  the  attendance  averages.  In  another, 
the  name  of  a  pupil  is  crossed  from  the  roll  when  he 
has  been  absent  two  weeks ;  in  another,  when  he  has 
been  absent  a  month ;  and  there  are  instances  in 
which  the  absences  continue  to  count  to  the  end  of 
the  term,  even  though  the  pupil  may  have  left  at  the 
close  of  the  first  week. 

Of  the  various  statistical  results  which  are  em- 
bodied in  the  reports  of  different  cities,  the  following 
are  generally  regarded  as  the  most  important : 

1.  Average  number  belonging. 

2.  Average  daily  attendance. 

3.  Per  cent,  of  daily  attendance  on  average  num- 
ber belonging. 

4.  Whole  number  of  different  scholars. 

5.  Expense  per  scholar,  on  average  number  be- 
longing. 


superintendent's  report.  55 

The  first  of  these,  the  average  number  belonging,  is  in 
many  respects  the  most  important  of  the  five.  It  is 
the  basis  of  all  reliable  estimates  in  regard  to  the 
accommodations  required,  the  number  of  teachers, 
and  the  expense  of  sustaining  the  schools. 

The  point  which  chiefly  concerns  us  in  this  connec- 
tion, is  the  condition  on  which  a  pupil  shall  forfeit  his 
seat  in  school.  If  we  can  secure  uniformity  of  prac- 
tice in  this  particular,  one  important  object  will  be 
accomplished.  In  the  public  schools  of  Chicago, 
when  a  pupil  is  suspended  from  school  by  any  of  the 
rules  of  the  Board  of  Education,  he  is  recorded  as 
having  left,  and  in  all  other  cases,  when  a  pupil  is 
absent  more  than  two  weeks,  he  is  recorded  as  hav- 
ing left — the  date  of  leaving  being  the  last  day  of 
the  two  wrecks.  This  rule  is  adopted,  not  because  we 
have  any  very  strong  preference  for  the  exact  period 
of  two  weeks,  but  because  this  limit  is  found  on  trial 
to  be  as  convenient  as  any  other,  and  because  it  is 
about  the  average  of  the  different  periods  adopted 
by  those  who  have  given  most  attention  to  the  sub- 
ject of  school  records. 

The  second  item  of  the  foregoing  list,  average  daily 
attendance,  is  easily  obtained,  and  the  practice  of  dif- 
ferent cities  is  nearly  uniform  in  regard  to  it. 

The  per  cent,  of  daily  attendance  on  the  average 
nnmber  belonging^  is,  in  most  cases,  a  pretty  safe  index 
to  the  general  character  and  progress  of  a  school. 
The  accuracy  of  this  result  depends  mainly  upon  the 
accuracy  of  the  record  from  which  the  average  number 
belonging  is  obtained. 

The  whole  number  of  different  scholars,  when  com-' 
pared  with  the  average  number  belonging,  shows  approxi- 


56  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


mately  the  per  cent,  of  changes  that  take  place  in 
the  membership  of  a  school.  This  per  cent,  varies 
greatly  in  different  places.  In  the  schools  of  Chicago 
during  the  last  year,  it  was  more  than  twice  as  large 
as  in  many  older  cities. 

The  cost  of  instruction  per  scholar,  is  an  item  of 
special  importance,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  so 
little  uniformity  has  heretofore  prevailed  in  respect 
to  the  manner  of  obtaining  it.  That  this  estimate 
should  properly  be  based  on  the  average  number  be- 
longing, and  not  on  the  ivhok  number  of  different  scholars 
during  the  year,  nor  on  the  average  daily  attendance, 
must,  I  think,  be  evident  to  any  one  who  will  care- 
fully examine  the  subject.  The  luhole  number  of 
different  scholars  may  vary  from  year  to  year  to  any 
extent,  without  affecting  materially  the  number  of 
seats  required,  or  the  number  of  teachers,  or  the 
actual  expense  of  sustaining  the  schools,  provided 
the  average  number  belonging  remains  unchanged.  In  a 
city  having  accommodations  for  10,000  scholars,  the 
whole  number  of  different  pupils  may  be  swelled  by 
constant  changes  to  20,000,  without  increasing  the 
actual  enrollment  at  any  time  beyond  the  original 
10,000.  If  now,  we  estimate  the  cost  of  instruction 
per  scholar  on  the  ivhole  number  enrolled,  it  will  appear 
to  be  only  one-half  as  great  as  it  would  if  the  mem- 
bership of  the  school  remained  unchanged.  Here, 
then,  is  an  apparent  reduction  of  one-half  the  cost  of 
instruction  per  scholar,  without  any  reduction  what- 
ever in  the  actual  expenditures.  The  truth  is,  the 
city  is  taxed  for  the  instruction  of  10,000  children, 
and  not  for  the  instruction  of  20,000,  and  the  esti- 
mates should  be  made  to  correspond  with  the  facts. 


superintendent's  report.  57 

So  also  of  the  average  attendance ;  it  maybe  high  or 
lowj  but  so  long  as  the  average  number  helonging  is  the 
same,  the  labor  and  expense  are  but  slightly  affected. 
Each  pupil  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  school,  must 
have  a  seat,  whether  present  or  absent. 

In  some  cases,  two  separate  averages  are  made, 
one  giving  the  cost  per  scholar  on  the  average  nnmher 
helonging,  and  the  other  on  the  ivJioIe  nnmher.  To  this 
practice  there  can  be  no  objection,  as  it  will  not  be 
likely  to  mislead.  In  imitation  of  many  other  cities, 
we  have  heretofore  given  the  cost  per  scholar  on  the 
whole  enrollment.  In  the  present  report  both  aver- 
ages are  given. 

The  foregoing  suggestions  respecting  school  records 
are  presented  in  the  hope  that  they  may  contribute, 
in  some  degree,  to  the  introduction  of  greater  uni- 
formity of  practice  in  this  important  department  of 
school  economy.  During  the  last  year  I  have  taken 
the  liberty  to  solicit  information  respecting  school 
records,  and  the  general  management  of  schools, 
from  about  fortv  different  cities,  and  it  affords  me 
pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  uniform  courtesy  with 
which  my  inquiries  have  been  answered.  The  blanks 
and  directions  for  the  records  of  the  public  schools 
of  Chicago  have  recently  been  revised,  and  we  in- 
vite an  exchange  with  other  cities,  of  blanks  and 
reports,  and  school  regulations.  We  shall  very  cheer- 
fully modify  any  of  our  own  forms  or  rules  relating 
to  records  and  statistics,  if  greater  uniformity  can  be 
secured  on  a  different  basis. 

At  the  last  annual  meeting  of  the  National  Teach- 
ers' Association,  an  able  committee  was  appointed  to 
report   "a  basis    for  keeping   school   registers   and 


58  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


making  annual  reports,"  and  we  may  confidently 
expect  that  they  will  favor  us  with  valuable  inform- 
ation and  suggestions  on  this  subject. 

PRIVATE    SCHOOLS. 

It  appears  from  a  careful  census  of  the  private 
schools  of  the  city,  that  the  number  of  pupils  be- 
longing to  them  in  February,  1859,  was  4,675.  In 
February,  1858,  the  number  was  about  4,500.  In 
February,  1857,  it  was  3,890.  The  number  of  teach- 
ers connected  with  the  private  schools  in  February, 
1859,  was  119. 

Three  years  ago,  the  number  of  pupils  attending 
the  private  schools  of  the  city  was  larger  than  the 
number  attending  the  public  schools.  At  the  present 
time,  the  number  enrolled  in  the  public  schools  is 
larger  than  the  number  in  the  private  schools,  by 
about  one  thousand. 

MOSELEY   FUND. 

In  1856,  a  fund  of  ^1,000  was  established  by 
Flavel  Moseley,  Esq.,  the  interest  of  which  is  ex- 
pended in  purchasing  text-books  for  indigent  children 
attending  the  public  schools. 

The  income  of  this  fund  was  at  first  found  to  be 
sufficient  to  meet  the  wants  of  all  who  were  entitled 
to  the  benefit  of  it;  but  the  number  of  indigent  chil- 
dren attending  the  schools  has  increased  so  rapidly, 
that  we  are  not  now  able  to  furnish  books  for  more 
than  one-fourth  of  the  destitute  children  that  apply 
for  them.  There  are,  at  the  present  time,  more  than 
a  hundred  children  of  this  class  in  our  schools,  who 


superintendent's  report.  59 

are  unprovided  with  books,  and  we  have  no  means 
of  supplying  them.  By  the  rules  of  the  Board,  chil- 
dren not  furnished  with  books  are  to  be  excluded 
from  the  schools ;  but  it  is  a  matter  of  little  conse- 
quence to  these  pupils  whether  they  are  excluded  or 
not,  since  they  are  virtually  deprived  of  the  privi- 
leges of  the  schools,  even  if  they  remain. 

I  would  commend  this  subject  to  the  serious  con- 
sideration of  the  Board  of  Education.  The  duty  of 
a  community  to  furnish  free  instruction  to  all  the 
children  that  apply  for  it,  is  generally  regarded  as 
including  also  an  obligation  to  provide  text-books  for 
those  who  are  unable  to  procure  them.  It  is  ob- 
vious, from  the  facts  here  presented,  that  immediate 
action  of  some  kind  is  required,  to  meet  the  peculiar 
wants  of  this  large  class  of  children  attending  our 
public  schools. 

JONES    FUND. 

One  year  ago,  William  Jones,  Esq.  established  a 
fund  of  $1,000,  the  interest  of  which  is  applied  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Jones  School,  in  j)rocuring  text 
books  for  indigent  children,  books  of  reference,  maps, 
globes,  etc.  This  is  now  the  only  Grammar  School 
in  the  city  that  has  an  adequate  supply  of  apparatus 
and  reference  books,  and  in  which,  all  the  indigent 
children  are  provided  with  text  books.  As  all  the 
other  schools  are  suffering  for  the  w^ant  of  just  such 
friends  and  benefactors,  I  feel  confident  that  an  ex- 
ample so  worthy  of  imitation  will  not  long  be  suffered 
to  stand  alone. 


60  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


FOSTER    MEDALS. 

In  1857,  Dr.  John  H.  Foster  established  a  fund  of 
$1,000,  the  avails  of  which  are  expended  in  procur- 
ing medals  and  other  rewards  of  merit,  for  the  most 
deserving  pupils  attending  the  Grammar  Schools  of 
the  city.  The  first  award  of  Silver  3fedals  was  made 
in  July,  1858. 

teachers'  institute. 

The  Teachers'  Institute  is  held  at  the  High  School 
building,  on  the  second  Saturday  of  every  school 
month,  and  commences  at  9  o'clock,  A.  M.  It  has 
been  attended  regularly  and  punctually  during  the 
past  year,  and  the  character  of  the  exercises  has  been 
well  sustained.  The  ladies  still  furnish  a  monthly 
paper,  which  does  them  great  credit.  Many  of  the 
essays  that  first  appeared  in  this  paper  have  since 
been  published  in  the  Illinois  Teacher  and  the  Home 
and  School  Journal,  and  in  several  instances  they 
have  been  copied  into  the  educational  periodicals  of 
other  States.  Permit  me  to  express  the  hope  that 
the  efibrts  of  the  teachers  at  these  monthly  meetings 
will  be  encouraged  and  aided  by  more  frequent  visits 
from  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Education. 

The  character  of  the  schools  must  always  depend 
mainly  upon  the  character  of  the  teachers,  and  the 
progress  and  improvement  of  the  schools  generally 
bear  a  direct  relation  to  the  efibrts  made  by  the 
teachers  for  their  own  improvement. 

The  teacher  who  is  satisfied  with  present  attain- 
ments, and  whose  ambition  in  school  rises  no  higher 
than  a  mere  repetition  of  past  efibrts,  will  be  sure  to 


superintendent's  report.  61 

furnish  an  example  in  which  both  teacher  and  school 
are  constantly  deteriorating. 

It  is  the  manifest  duty  of  the  teacher  to  strive 
every  day  to  make  some  positive  advance  upon  the 
labors  of  the  previous  day.  To  this  end  he  must  not 
only  be  fruitful  in  expedients,  and  assiduous  in  study- 
ing the  character  and  dispositions  of  his  different 
pupils,  but  he  must  also  avail  himself  of  the  wisdom 
and  experience  of  others  who  are  engaged  in  the 
same  work.  The  model  classes,  and  essays,  and  dis- 
cussions, which  are  presented  at  our  monthly  Insti- 
tute, are  fall  of  practical  suggestions,  from  w^hich 
every  teacher  may  derive  important  aid  in  improv- 
ing the  character  of  his  own  instructions. 

Another  indispensable  auxiliary  to  the  labors  of 
the  teacher  who  is  desirous  of  advancing  to  a  high 
standard  in  his  profession,  is  the  study  of  educational 
works  embodying  the  results  of  the  best  efforts  of 
successful  educators  in  this  and  other  countries.  If 
teachers  would  devote  more  time  to  the  reading  of 
such  works  as  Northend's  "Teacher  and  Parent," 
Potter  and  Emerson's  "  School  and  School  Master," 
and  Orcutt's  "  Gleanings  from  School  Life  Experi- 
ence," they  w^ould  meet  an  abundant  reward,  both  in 
their  own  improvement  and  in  the  increased  power 
it  would  give  them  to  elevate  and  improve  the  char- 
acter of  their  schools. 

Every  teacher  who  claims  a  rank  among  the  edu- 
cators of  the  present  century,  should  have  access  to 
at  least  one  educational  periodical.  This  will  afford 
him  an  opportunity  to  extend  his  range  of  observa- 
tion and  comparison  among  the  teachers  now  in  the 
field,  and  enable   him  to  avail  himself  of  every  im- 


62  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


portant  improvement  that  is  made  in  methods  of 
discipline  and  instruction.  We  have  a  monthly  edu- 
cational journal^  sustained  by  the  leading  educators 
of  the  State,  which  is  afforded  at  a  price  so  low  as  to 
be  within  the  means  of  all ;  and  a  weekly  journal, 
published  in  our  own  city,  which  embraces  an  edu- 
cational department.  I  would  also  invite  the  atten- 
tion of  our  teachers  to  the  claims  of  Barnard's 
Journal  of  Education,  which  is  the  most  elaborate 
and  comprehensive  educational  periodical  in  exist- 
ence. It  is  not,  perhaps,  to  be  expected  that  many 
of  the  teachers  will  subscribe  individually  for  so  ex- 
pensive a  journal  as  this,  but  if  all  the  teachers  of  a 
school  would  unite  in  obtaining  a  copy,  I  am  sure 
the  influence  could  not  fail  to  be  salutary,  both  upon 
the  teachers  and  upon  the  school. 

Among  the  books  that  would  afford  the  greatest 
aid  to  our  Primary  teachers,  in  imparting  familiar 
oral  instruction,  may  be  mentioned  the  Child's  Book 
of  Common  Things,  Science  of  Common  Things, 
Catechism  of  Familiar  Things,  Hill's  First  Lessons  in 
Geometry,  and  Cowdery's  Moral  Lessons.  Mayo's 
Lessons  on  Objects,  Young's  Teachers'  Manual,  and 
Exercises  on  the  Improvement  of  the  Senses,  are  all 
excellent  works  for  the  use  of  Primary  teachers,  but 
they  are  not  easily  obtained  in  this  country. 

TERMS    AND    VACATIONS. 

The  terms  of  the  public  schools  commence  on  the 
second  day  of  January,  the  Monday  after  the  last 
Friday  in  April,  and  the  first  Monday  in  September ; 
and  close  two  weeks  before  the  last  Friday  in  April, 
the  second  Friday  in  July,  and  the  twenty-fourth  day 


superintendent's  report.  63 

of  December :  Provided^  That  when  the  second  day 
of  January  occurs  later  in  the  week  than  Wednesday, 
then  the  schools  do  not  commence  till,  the  following 
Monday. 

SCHOOL   FUND. 

The  amount  of  real  estate  now  belono-jng  to  the  School  Fund, 

within  the  limits  of  the  city,  is  estimated  at $900,000 

Amount  of  real  estate  outside  of  the  city 25,000 

Money  loaned,  principal 52,000 

Whole  amount  of  School  Fund $977,000 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  real  estate  belong- 
ing to  this  fund  is  not  now  available,  and  much  of  it 
is  leased  on  very  low  rents. 

Block  87,  of  the  school  section,  is  leased  to  the 
city  for  the  nominal  sum  of  $800  per  annum,  till 
December,  1862.  The  adjoining  block,  88,  is  leased 
to  private  parties  for  $5,667  per  annum.  In  the 
present  straitened  condition  of  the  School  Tax  Fund, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  city  wall  recognize  the  jus- 
tice of  paying  to  the  School  Fund  a  fair  rent  for  this 
property. 

The  income  of  the  School  Fund,  for  the  year  end- 
ing February  1,  1859,  including  also  the  dividend  on 
the  State  Fund,  was  as  follows : 

Interest  on  loans $5,130  89 

Eents 12,435  74 

State  Dividend 19,774  81 

Amount $37,341  44 

If  the  city  should  estimate  the  rent  of  block  87, 
of  the  school  section,  at  its  real  value,  the  annual 
income  of  the  School  Fund  would  be  increased  by 
about  §4,000. 


64  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


The  sum  required  to  pay  the  salaries  of  the  Teach- 
ers and  Superintendent,  is  mostly  furnished  by  the 
avails  of  the  School  Fund,  which  cannot  be  applied 
to  any  other  purpose.  During  the  last  year,  the  only 
aid  required  from  the  School  Tax  Fund,  in  meeting 
these  salaries,  was  $6,100. 

EXPENDITURES  FOPt  THE  SUPPORT  OE  SCHOOLS. 

The  expense  of  supporting  the  public  schools, 
during  the  year  ending  February  1,  1859,  may  be 
reduced  to  four  general  heads : 

1.  Salaries  of  Teachers  and  Superintendent $43,009  89 

2.  Salary  of  School  Agent,  and  taking  census  of 

children 760  ii5 

3.  Incidentals  ;  including  fuel,  repairs,  care  of  build- 

ings, office  expenses,  printing,  etc 11,654  31 

4.  Kent  of  school  buildings  and  lots  belonging  to 

the  city,  estimated 14,250  00 

Other  rents 666  65 

Amount $70,341  10 

In  estimating  the  rent  of  the  school  estates  be- 
longing to  the  city,  each  lot  was  taken  separately, 
and  set  down  at  such  a  sum  as  it  would  bring  if 
leased  for  other  purposes,  and  the  amount  of  these 
estimates  was  added  to  six  per  cent,  on  the  present 
valuation  of  the  buildings  and  furniture.  Last  year 
the  use  of  the  buildings  and  furniture  was. put  at 
ten  per  cent,  on  the  valuation;  but  it  was  found  that 
other  cities  place  their  estimates  much  lower  than 
this,  and  ours  was  accordingly  changed  to  six  per 
cent.  By  adopting  the  same  basis  of  estimate  as 
other  cities,  we  furnish  the  means  of  making  a  more 
exact  and  ready  comparison  in  the  cost  of  instruction. 


superintendent's  report.  65 

Cost  per  Scholar  in  all  the  Schools.  —  The  whole  cost 
of  instruction  the  last  year  was  $70,341.  This 
amount  divided  by  5,516,  the  average  niimher  of  pupils 
belonging  to  all  the  schools,  including  the  High  School, 
shows  the  expense  per  scholar  to  have  been  $12.75. 

High  School. — The  expense  of  sustaining  the  High 
School  during  the  last  year,  was  about  $9,300.  This 
amount,  divided  by  156,  the  average  number  of  pu- 
pils belonging  to  the  school,  shows  the  cost  per  pupil 
to  have  been  $59.61.  In  Boston,  the  cost  per  scholar 
in  the  High  Schools,  during  the  year  1857,  reduced 
to  the  same  basis,  was  $60.12.  The  cost  per  scholar 
in  the  Chicago  High  School,  omitting  the  item  of 
rent,  was  about  $45.51. 

The  High  School  building  is  not  yet  fully  occupied. 
When  the  number  of  pupils  is  increased,  so  as  to  fill 
all  the  rooms,  the  cost  per  scholar  will  be  considerably 
reduced. 

Grammar  and  Frimarg  Schools. — The  whole  cost  of 
sustaining  the  Grammar  and  Primary  Schools  the  last 
year,  including  rent  of  buildings,  was  $61,041.  This 
amount,  divided  by  5,360,  the  average  numher  belonging 
to  these  schools,  shows  the  expense  per  scholar  to 
have  been  $11.38. 

Expense  per  Scholar  on  the  Whole  Enrollment. — If  we 
divide  $70,341,  the  whole  cost  of  instruction,  by 
12,873,  the  whole  number  of  different  scholars  en- 
rolled in  all  the  schools  during  the  year,  we  find  the 
expense  per  scholar  to  have  been  $5.46. 
5 


66  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


16  96 

15  91 

15  33 

13  93 

12  93 

10  ft9 

The  following  is  the  comparative  cost  of  instruc- 
tion in  several  different  cities,  reduced  to  a  uniform 
basis : 

St.  Louis,  cost  per  pupil  on  average  number  belonging,  $17  34 

Cincinnati, 

Boston, 

New  York, 

Buffalo, 

Chicago, 

Baltimore, 

If  the  first  and  only  duty  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion was  to  reduce  the  expenses  of  the  schools  to  the 
lowest  possible  point,  I  should  find  in  the  foregoing 
comparison  abundant  cause  to  congratulate  you  on 
the  success  of  your  efforts.  But  when  I  consider 
that  this  saving  has  been  made  by  employing  a  small- 
er number  of  teachers,  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  scholars,  than  any  other  city  in  the  Union ;  by 
dispensing  almost  entirely  with  illustrative  apparatus 
and  reference  books,  and  in  other  ways  greatly 
abridging  the  facilities  for  the  successful  prosecution 
of  study ;  and  by  crowding  from  the  public  schools 
more  than  a  thousand  children,  to  learn  their  daily 
lessons  in  schools  of  vagrancy  and  crime ;  I  find  suf- 
ficient occasion  for  humiliation  and  regret. 

Permit  me,  in  conclusion,  to  express  the  earnest 
hope,  that  in  the  future  deliberations  of  this  Board 
and  of  the  Common  Council,  no  system  of  economy 
will  ever  be  adopted,  which  shall  deprive  a  single 
child  in  Chicago  of  the  benefits  of  free  instruction. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

W.  H.  WELLS, 
Siqierintendcnt  of  Public  Schools. 

Chicago,  March  19,  1859. 


REPORT  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL 


OF    THE 


CHICAGO    HIGH    SCHOOL. 


Chicago  High  School, 

March  26,  1859. 

To  the  Bom^d  of  Education  of  the  City  of  Chicago : 

Gentlemen  :  The  attendance  in  the  High  School  for 
the  year  1858  was  highly  satisfactory.  Our  pupils 
come  from  all  parts  of  a  widely  extended  city,  and 
many  live  at  the  distance  of  two  or  three  miles  from 
school.  A  majority  of  them,  moreover,  have  not 
been  with  us  a  sufficient  time  to  become  fully  accus- 
tomed to  our  discipline.  The  upper  classes  are 
much  more  regular  in  attendance  than  the  lower. 
As  soon,  then,  as  a  sufficient  time  has  elapsed  for  the 
school  to  be  filled,  and  a  majority  of  the  pupils  are 
students  of  at  least  a  year's  standing,  we  may  rea- 
sonably expect  a  higher  per  centage  of  attendance" 
than  we  have  now.  Still  it  is  believed  that  even  now 
the  attendance  in  the  Chicago  High  School  is  not 
surpassed  by  that  of  any  similar  institution  in  any 
of  the  principal  cities  of  the  United  States.  I  sub- 
join the  per  centage  of  attendance  on  the  average 
number  enrolled,  of  such  of  the  principal  Hio-h 
Schools  as  give  this  item  in  their  last  reports  : 

Boston  :  Boys'  English  High  School 96 . 4 

Girls'       "         "         ''       95.2 

Cincinnati :  Woodward    "         "       \ 95 . 1 

Hughes  **         "       95.5 


G8  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

Cleveland  High  School 94.6 

St.  Louis     ''         "      96.1 

Philadelphia  :  Central  High  School,  (for  boys  only,) 98.5 

Chicago  "         ''       96.7 

Boys  of  Chicago  High  School 98.7 

The  boys  of  the  school  have  always  been  some- 
what more  regular  in  their  attendance  than  the  girls. 
To  attain,  at  so  early  a  period  in  the  history  of  the 
institution,  a  per  centage  of  attendance  surpassing 
that  of  the  best  eastern  High  Schools,  certainly 
speaks  well  for  the  earnestness  of  the  boys  of  our 
city.  An  absence  for  any  other  cause  than  sickness 
rarely  occurs. 

Great  attention  was  paid  during  the  year  to  secur- 
ing punctuality,  and  a  very  marked  improvement 
was  the  result.  In  1857,  the  average  number  of 
pupils  enrolled  was  146 ;  the  number  of  tardinesses, 
425;  average  number  per  month,  42.  In  1858,  the 
average  number  enrolled  was  156 ;  the  number  of 
tardinesses,  102  ;  average  number  per  month,  10. 

During  the  month  of  January,  1857,  there  were 
107  tardinesses.  The  pupils  having  but  recently 
entered  the  school,  were  then  unaccustomed  to  its 
discipline.  The  number  per  month  has  continually 
diminished  from  that  time  to  the  present,  and  now 
cases  of  tardiness  are  almost  wholly  confined  to  the 
lower  sections.  It  should  be  remembered  that  our 
pupils  come  from  all  parts  of  the  city,  and  that  dur- 
ing a  considerable  portion  of  the  year,  those  who 
live  in  the  North  and  South  Divisions  are  liable  to 
be  detained  by  the  opening  of  the  bridges.  117 
pupils  were  not  tardy  during  the  year.  The  follow- 
ing were  neither  absent  nor  tardy  during  the  year 
1858: 


REPORT    OF   PRINCIPAL    OF    HIGH    SCHOOL. 


69 


Llewellyn  Christian, 
John  H.  Cowper, 
Joseph  Creswell, 
Albert  Dickinson, 
Elizabeth  B.  Huntley, 
Edward  C.  Hubbard, 
Ellen  A.  Hubbard, 
Alice  J.  Jennings, 
Helen  A.  Leonard, 


George  H.  Mendsen, 
Erastus  a.  Nichols, 
Edward  F.  Price, 
John  Rutherford, 
Charles  M.  Stow, 
Charles  A.  Thompson, 
Edwin  Walker, 
Albert  S.  Wurts. 


One  of  the  most  serious  evils  with  which  Public 
High  Schools  have  to  contend,  is  the  disposition  of 
pupils  to  leave  before  com^Dleting  the  course.  In  the 
New  York  Free  Academy,  with  an  average  num- 
ber enrolled  of  500,  only  about  21  complete  the 
course.  In  the  Philadelphia  High  School,  with  ^we 
or  six  hundred  pupils,  fifty  is  considered  a  large  grad- 
uating class.  In  Baltimore,  a  High  School  of  300 
pupils  graduates  annually  about  16.  In  the  St. 
Louis  High  School,  30  per  cent,  of  each  class  leave 
during  the  first  year  after  their  admission,  and  it  is 
found  very  difficult  to  fill  up  the  school.  In  the 
Boston  English  High  School,  the  upper  classes  are 
very  small,  and  the  school  is  never  full.  It  appears 
that  in  the  very  best  High  Schools,  30  per  cent,  per 
annum  is  not  considered  an  excessive  loss.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1858,  there  were,  in  the  Chicago  High  School, 
148  pupils.  Of  these  there  left  during  the  year, 
without  completing  the  course,  29.  Per  centage  of 
loss,  19.6.  The  average  number  belonging  to  the 
school  during  the  year,  was  156.  Per  centage  of 
loss  on  the  averao;e  number  belono^ino-  22.  Accord- 
ing  to  the  last  report  of  the  Philadelphia  High 
School,  the  average  number  belonging  was  491. 
There  left  during  the  year,  without  completing  their 
course,  250.     Per  centage  of  loss  on    the  average 


70  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

number  belonging,  51.  There  have  entered  our 
school,  since  its  commencement  in  the  autumn  of 
1856,  342  pupils.  January,  1859,  there  had  left 
without  completing  the  prescribed  course  of  study, 
83.  Per  centao-e  of  loss  on  the  whole  number  be- 
longing  since  the  organization  of  the  school,  24.3. 
When  we  consider  the  transient  character  of  a  city 
population,  and  the  great  allurements  of  business  in 
the  West,  we  feel  that  the  pupils  of  the  Chicago  High 
School  have  displayed  a  commendable  appreciation 
of  the  value  of  education.  The  83  who  have  left 
since  October,  1856,  have  done  so  for  the  following 
reasons : 

To  engage  in  teaching 17 

On  account  of  removal  from  the  city 16 

*'  "    sickness 12 

**  "    poor  scholarship 12 

"  "    sickness  or  death  of  parents 5 

To  engage  in  business  in  the  city 11 

Suspended 4 

Died 2 

Causes  unknown 4 

The  whole  number  of  pupils  now  in  the  High 
School  is  245.  Of  these,  33  are  in  the  Normal  De- 
partment, 111  are  studying  Latin,  17  Greek,  57 
French,  and  75  German. 

Examinations  for  Admission. — No  change  has  been 
made  in  the  character  of  the  examination  of  candi- 
dates for  admission.  With  the  exception  of  Reading, 
the  examinations  in  the  different  branches  are  con- 
ducted entirely  by  means  of  written  questions  and 
answers.  The  answers  are  carefully  preserved,  and 
may  at  any  time  be  inspected  by  those  interested  in 
the  results.     The  method  employed  is  believed  to  be 


REPORT    OF   PRINCIPAL    OF   HIGH    SCHOOL. 


71 


superior  to  any  other,  since  it  constitutes  a  thorough 
test  of  scholarship,  is  entirely  impartial,  very  eco- 
nomical of  time,  and  since  it  affords  the  opportunity, 
at  any  time,  of  verifying  the  justice  of  the  examina- 
tion in  the  case  of  each  pupil. 

During  the  year  1858,  two  examinations  were  held. 
The  following  table  exhibits  the  results  of  the  one  in 
July.  The  ^er  centage  of  correct  answers  required 
for  admission,  was  58. 


SCHOOLS. 

PS 

Si 
is 

Si 

as 

Average 

Scholarship 

of  whole  No. 

Examined. 

Average  Age  of 
No.  Admitted. 

Average  Time  in 

Public  Schools 

of  No.  Admitted. 

TEARS. 

MONTHS. 

4 
6 
5 

8 
8 
9 
3 
8 
4 

TEARS. 

MONTHS. 

Dearborn 

Jones  

Scammon. . . . 

Kinzie 

Franklin 

Washington.. 

Moseley 

Brown 

Foster 

Ogden 

31 

22 

42 

6 

5 

6 

9 

6 

6 

18 

21 
10 
19 
2 
3 
3 
6 
2 
2 
8 

10 

12 

23 

4 

I 

3 

4 

4 

10 

75 

64 
59 
58 
49 
54 
56 
64 
56 
51 
56 

15 
15 
15 
16 
15 
14 
15 
14 
16 
15 

2 

1 
1 
1 
2 
2 

2 
1 
1 

1 

5 
7 
6 

10 
9 

10 

Total 

151 

76 

59 

15 

5 

1 

8 

The  following  table  shows  the  results  of  the  ex- 
amination in  December.  The  per  cent,  of  correct 
answers  required  was  61. 


6'6 

!^§ 

SCHOOLS. 

Dearborn .... 

19 

Jones    

18 

Scammon. . . . 

24 

Kinzie 

8 

Franklin 

3 

Washington. . 

13 

Moseley 

17 

Brown 

9 

Foster 

6 

Ogden 

8 

Other  Schools 

3 

Total.    ... 

128 

la 


16 

15 

10 

1 

1 

1 

10 

5 

5 

4 

1 

69 


3 

3 

14 

7 
2 
12 
7 
4 
1 
4 
2 

59 


0.0     • 
K   eS  "o  '3 

f*  2  fc  -■« 


I     Average  Age 
of  No.  Admitted 


68 
72 
62 
48 
56 
51 
63 
64 
73 
60 
53 

63 


TEARS. 


15 
13 
16 
15 
15 
14 
15 
15 
14 
16 
22 

15 


2 
10 
11 

2 
7 
5 
7 
4 
9 
9 


Average  Time  in 

Public  Schools 

of  No.  Admitted. 


TEAR8.      MONTHS. 


72 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


The  following  is  a  synopsis  of  the  results  of  all  the 
examinations  since  October,  1856. 


isse. 

18£7- 

1858.    j 

TOTAL. 

SCHOOLS. 

•^  a 

n 

55 

43 

137 

64 

a; 

^S 
< 

27 

18 
68 
21 

13 

4)  ] 

28 
25 
69 
43 

d-s 

oj  •-; 

27 
15 

29 

1 

6 
1 
2 

d.-S 

< 

8 

"is 

2 

""4 
1 

.    01 

•5? 
« 

19 
15 
11 

6 
5 
2 

■■"2 

'  d-a 

,^§ 
o  B 

50 

40 

66 

■     14 

'      8 

19 

26 

15 

12 

26 

3 

1  279 

-a 
.B 

o  -^ 

37 

25 

29 
3 
4 
4 

16 
7 
7 

12 
1 

145 

.1 
'a 

.  o 

III 

13 
15 

lit 

4 
15 
10 

8 

5 
14 

2 

134 

1 

i  d-d 
IS  § 

0)  •;: 

Ji 

132 

98 

232 

!    86 

1    13 

44 

27 

23 

14 

32 

97 

798 

. 
d  ^ 

n 

< 

72 

43 

115 

26 

4 

14 

17 

8 

7 

14 

47 

367 

Dearborn 

60 

Jones 

55 

Scammon 

Kinzie 

117 

60 

Franklin 

q 

"Washington 

19 

6 

13 

30 

Moseley 

10 

Brown 

6 
2 

1 

5 
1 

15 

Foster 

Ogden 

6 
23 

122 

2 

11 

46 

4 
12 

76 

18 

Other  Schools 

71 

897 

35 
176 

36: 

1 

1 

221; 

50 

Total 

431 

Apparatus. — The  sum  of  ^1,000,  generously  sub- 
scribed by  the  parents  of  pupils  in  the  High  School 
and  by  other  citizens,  for  the  purchase  of  Chemical 
and  Philosophical  Apparatus,  was  expended  under 
the  direction  of  a  committee  appointed  by  your 
Board.  The  apparatus  is  now  in  daily  use  in  the 
school. 

Additional  articles  will,  from  time  to  time,  be 
needed,  particularly  for  facilitating  the  study  of 
Astronomy. 

Library. — No  additions  have  been  made  to  the 
Library  during  the  past  year.  It  now  contains  416 
volumes,  most  of  them  standard  works.  The  books 
may  be  classified  as  follows : 

Scientific  Works,  Cyclopedias,  etc 140  vols. 

History 60 

Biography 35 

Poetry 40 

Essays 40 

Miscellaneous 61 


REPORT    OF   PRINCIPAL    OF    HIGH   SCHOOL.  73 

The  library  is  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  teachers 
and  pupils  of  the  High  School.  It  has  been  in  con- 
stant use  during  the  past  year.  A  judiciously  se- 
lected library  is  of  great  service  in  promoting  a  taste 
for  science  and  literature  among  the  pupils,  and  in 
enabling  them  to  extend  their  researches  beyond  the 
narrow  limits  of  the  text -books.  It  is  also  of  in- 
valuable service  to  teachers,  affording  them  an  op- 
portunity for  the  investigation  of  subjects  kindred 
to  those  which  they  are  daily  called  upon  to  teach. 

It  seems  important  that  some  provision  be  made 
to  increase  the  number  of  volumes  in  the  library. 

Prizes. — In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1858,  sev- 
eral gentlemen  contributed  $50,  to  be  appropriated 
as  prizes  to  pupils  in  the  High  School,  for  excellence 
in  English  Declamation  and  Composition.  An  earn- 
est but  generous  competition  for  pre-eminence  existed 
among  the  pupils,  and  the  general  effect  was  to  stimu- 
late all  to  increased  effort  in  both  these  departments 
of  study.  In  most  institutions  of  learning,  the  award 
of  prizes  and  medals  as  a  recognition  of  merit  in 
particular  departments  of  study,  is  adopted.  The 
general  opinion  is  that  the  system  may  be  highly 
valuable,  and  that  the  evils  sometimes  attributed  to 
it  may,  without  difficulty,  be  avoided.  In  the  present 
case,  I  feel  confident  that  the  prizes  have  been  produc- 
tive of  much  positive  benefit,  unaccompanied,  as  far 
as  I  can  learn,  by  any  injurious  results.  With  a  single 
exception,  no  prizes  have  been  instituted  for  the 
present  year,  and  no  arrangement  has  been  made 
for  any  in  the  future.  If  these  incentives  to  labor 
and  rewards  of  excellence  are  awarded  to  pujDils  in 


74  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


the  Grammar  Schools,  it  seems  desh^able  that  similar 
incentives  and  rewards  should  be  offered  to  the  same 
pupils  in  the  more  advanced  and  difficult  portion  of 
their  education.  The  pupils  in  the  High  School  en- 
joy the  highest  educational  privileges  which  our  city 
affords.  They  are  carefully  selected  from  the  Gram- 
mar Schools  with  reference  to  superior  ability  and 
devotion  to  study.  They  will,  unquestionably,  be- 
come our  most  promising  young  men  and  women, 
and  will  ere  long  occu23y  responsible  positions  in 
society.  Hence,  any  measures  which  will  incite 
them  to  increased  effort  and  higher  excellence,  will 
contribute  directly  to  the  general  welfare  of  our 
community.  I  trust  that  the  attention  of  our  en- 
lightened and  liberal  citizens  may  be  directed  to  this 
subject,  and  that,  as  in  other  cities,  a  system  of  prizes 
may  be  instituted  which  shall  prove  a  powerful  and 
permanent  incentive  to  the  highest  improvement  of 
the  generous  opportunities  afforded  by  our  city  for 
acquiring  an  education,  and  a  reward  for  thorough 
scholarship. 

Improvements  in  Grounds. — During  the  past  year, 
the  yard  of  the  High  School  has  been  surrounded 
with  a  neat  wooden  fence.  The  pupils,  having  formed 
an  organization  in  the  Spring,  for  the  purpose  of  im- 
proving the  school  grounds  and  ornamenting  them 
with  shrubbery,  expended  upwards  of  $40,  planted 
fifty  trees,  and  performed  much  labor  in  decorating 
the  grounds. 

Diplomas.  —  Seven  pupils  have  already  completed 
their  course  of  study,  and  a  number  wdll   graduate 


REPORT    OF   PRINCIPAL    OF   HIGH   SCHOOL.  75 

next  July.  It  is  desirable  that  suitable  diplomas  be 
prepared  before  the  close  of  the  year,  to  be  given  to 
those  who  have  already  graduated,  and  to  those  who 
shall  hereafter  do  so. 

P hi/ sical  Exercise. — Some  have  apprehended  that 
the  amount  of  study  performed  by  pupils  in  the  High 
School  was  so  great,  as  in  some  instances,  seriously  to 
endanger  their  health.  Such  cases  are  rare,  and  I 
am  not  certain  that  ani/  have  ever  existed.  Ill  health 
is  seldom  caused  by  excessive  mental  labor,  but  is 
often  induced  among  students  by  a  neglect  of  the 
physiological  laws  relative  to  exercise,  sleep  and  food. 
Indeed,  mental  labor  seems  no  more  incompatible 
with  good  health,  than  the  various  forms  of  physical 
toil.  But  the  customs  of  society  restrict  the  kind 
and  amount  of  exercise  taken  by  girls  to  such  a  de- 
gree, that  their  constitutions  are  often  early  impaired 
and  they  are  rendered  incapable  of  any  protracted 
study.  A  theoretical  know^ledge  of  the  laws  of  phy- 
siology is  of  no  real  benefit  unless  they  can  be  in- 
duced to  apply  them.  This  is  rarely  done  to  any 
sufficient  extent,  and  suffering,  ill  health  and  short 
lives  are  the  penalties  for  the  violation.  One  cause 
of  the  power  of  endurance  manifested  by  German 
students  is  found  in  the  fact  that  physical  exercise 
constitutes  so  considerable  a  portion  of  their  educa- 
tion. With  comparatively  little  expense,  a  gymna- 
sium might  be  erected  for  the  girls  of  the  High 
School,  and  physical  exercise  might  become  a  regular 
department  in  their  education.  The  immediate  ben- 
efit to  them  would  be  invaluable,  and  a  correct  appro- 


76  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

ciation  of   the  importance   of   appropriate  exercise 
might  thus  be  diffused  through  the  community. 

Normal  Department. — There  are  now  31  pupils  in 
the  Normal  Department.  Since  October,  1856,  there 
have  been  connected  with  it  61  pupils.  Seven  have 
graduated,  after  completing  the  prescribed  course  of 
study.  The  following  is  a  list  of  their  names  and 
the  date  of  graduation  : 

WHEN  GRADUATED.  NAMES. 

July,  1858 Sophia  J.  Marshall. 


December, 


.Eliza  C.  Boyce. 
.Elizabeth  M.  Kennedy. 
.Ellen  Y.  Lamb. 
E.  Irene  Nye. 
.Emma  Y.  Taylor. 
.Ann  Winchell. 


These,  with  one  exception,  are  now  teaching  in 
our  public  schools.  Of  the  23  who  have  left  without 
completing  the  course,  seven  have  since  been  em- 
ployed as  teachers  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city, 
six  are  now  teaching  elsewhere,  and  mo.st  of  the 
remainder  have  removed  from  the  city.  The  average 
age  of  the  j^upils  in  this  Department  has  been  regu- 
larly decreasing  since  its  organization,  and  under  the 
operation  of  the  jD^esent  regulations  for  admission, 
will  probably  continue  to  do  so  for  some  time.  A 
considerable  portion  of  the  pupils  will  be  too  young, 
after  completing  their  course,  to  be  profitably  em- 
ployed as  teachers.  A  few  show  no  natural  adapta- 
tion for  the  profession  of  teaching,  and  will,  in  all 
probability,  never  become  successful  teachers.  At 
present,  no  discretion  is  granted  for  their  removal 
from  the  Department. 


REPORT    OF   PRINCIPAL    OF   HIGH    SCHOOL. 


77 


Course  of  Study, — At  the  organization  of  the  school 
it  was  impossible  to  ^li.  the  exact  limits  of  the  course 
of  study.  Time  and  exj)erience  were  necessary  be- 
fore a  complete  system,  adapted  to  the  character  of 
our  pupils  and  the  demand  of  the  times,  could  be 
adopted.  The  pupils  of  the  Normal  Department 
have  completed  the  course  of  two  years.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  outline  of  the  course  hereafter  to  be 
pursued  by  them: 


PIRST    TERM. 

second  term. 

THIRD  term. 

First  Year. 

Arithmetic. 
Political  Geography, 

«Sb  Map  Drawing. 
Grammar. 
Algebra. 

Same  as  First  Term. 

Physical  Geography. 

Botany. 

Natural  Philosophy. 

Geometry. 

Second  Year. 

Natural  Philosophy. 
Physiology. 
Book-Keeping,  \  term. 
Chemistry. 

Const.  US.,  and  Prin- 
ciples of  Gov't. 

History  of  U.  S.,  and 
Outlines  of  General 
History. 

Rhetoric. 

Astronomy. 

English  Literature. 

Arithmetic,  \  term. 

Geography. 

Grammar, 

Mental  Philosophy. 

English  Literature. 

Readino;,  throuo;h  the  entire  course. 

Composition,  "  "  " 

Practice  of  teachino;,  throuo-h  the  entire  course. 

Singing,  "  "  "       one  lesson  per  week. 

Drawing,  through  four  last  terms,  two  lessons  per  week. 

Theory  of  Teaching,  two    " 

In  the  other  departments,  some  changes  are  neces- 
sary. At  present,  the  Senior  Class  of  40  pupils  is 
divided  into  three  departments,  and  much  time  and 
labor  is  thus  expended  upon  small  classes,  which 
might  be  more  profitably  employed  if  the  classes 
were  united.     The  Scientific  Department  might  have 


78  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


a  somewhat  wider  range,  so  as  to  comprehend  as 
complete  a  course  as  in  our  best  colleges.  I  would 
respectfully  suggest  that  before  the  commencement 
of  another  year,  a  re-organization  of  the  Classical 
and  of  the  English  Departments  be  made. 

The  Assistant  Teachers  of  the  High  School  have 
uniformly  co-operated  with  me,  for  the  promotion  of 
the  welfare  of  the  school,  most  earnestly  and  faith- 
fully. Whatever  success  the  school  has  achieved 
during  the  past  year,  is  in  a  great  measure  owing  to 
their  zealous  and  efficient  efforts. 

Very  respectfully  submitted, 

CHAKLES  A.  DUPEE, 

Principal. 


NEWBERRY  SCHOOL  BUILDING. 


The  building  represented  in  the  cut  opposite  the  title-page, 
and  in  the  plans  herewith  presented,  is  situated  in  the  North 
Division,  at  the  corner  of  Orchard  and  Willow  Streets.  It 
fronts  south,  on  Orchard  Sti'eet,  and  occupies  the  centre  of  a 
lot  1481-  feet  by  200.  The  width  of  the  building  in  front  is 
78  feet,  and  that  of  the  wing,  in  the  rear,  58  feet.  The 
depth  of  the  front  or  main  body  is  74  feet  and  4  inches,  and 
of  the  wing  49  feet  and  2  inches ;  making  the  entire  depth 
123  feet  6  inches. 

The  building  is  four  stories  high,  and  has  no  basement. 
The  basement  was  omitted  for  want  of  proper  drainage ;  the 
sewers  not  having  been  constructed  in  this  portion  of  the  city. 

The  ground  floor  contains  six  rooms,  each  32  by  27  feet, 
besides  the  corridors,  clothes  rooms,  and  closets  for  books, 
apparatus,  etc.  These  rooms  are  twelve  feet  high,  in  the 
clear.  The  second  and  third  stories  are  each  13  feet  high, 
and  each  has  six  school  rooms  of  the  same  size  as  those  below. 
The  fourth  story  has  four  school  rooms  14  feet  high ;  and  a 
hall,  57  feet  by  37  feet  4  inches,  and  16  feet  high. 

Two  of  the  rooms  on  the  ground  floor  were  designed  for 
the  heating  apparatus,  which  has  not  yet  been  set  up.  If  the 
building  should  be  heated  by  steam,  only  one  of  these  rooms 
will  be  required,  leaving  five  school  rooms  on  the  lower  floor. 
If  both  of  these  rooms  should  be  required  for  the  heating 
apparatus,  there  will  still  remain  twenty  school  rooms,  each 
of  wliich  will  accommodate  sixty  pupils,  at  single  desks, 
making  in  all  1,200  pupils. 

By  referring  to  the  plans,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  house  is 
entered  in  front  through  a  doorway  8  feet  wide,  open- 
ing into  a  corridor  10  feet  wide,  which  extends  back  to  the 
wing,  where  it  connects  with  two  side  corridors  of  the  same 


80  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


width,  at  the  extremities  of  which  are  two  outside  doors,  one 
opening  to  the  Girls',  and  the  other  to  the  Boys'  play  grounds. 

Near  the  front  door,  at  which  point  the  corridor  is  widened 
to  19  feet,  are  two  flights  of  stairs,  leading  to  the  stories  above. 
Near  each  of  the  side  doors  at  the  other  extremity  of  the 
building,  is  a  similar  flight  of  stairs,  also  leading  to  the  upper 
story,  so  that  in  case  of  accident  by  fire  or  any  other  cause, 
by  which  the  children  might  be  impelled  to  make  a  hasty  exit 
from  the  building,  there  are  four  ample  and  easy  stairways 
from  the  upper  to  the  lower  stories,  each  in  close  proximity 
to  an  outside  door,  and  each  so  constructed  that  the  children 
cannot  fall  over  the  railings  from  one  story  to  another. 

The  front  entrance,  besides  being  very  wide,  is  provided 
with  a  set  o^  fly  doors  inside  of  the  principal  doors,  which 
are  used  for  ordinary  ingress  and  egress,  and  which  will 
swing  either  way,  thereby  preventing  the  possibility  of  the 
door-way  being  obstructed  so  as  to  prevent  the  door  being 
opened  in  case  of  any  sudden  alarm. 

The  arrangement  for  ventilating  the  building  deserves  spe- 
cial mention.  Adjoining  each  of  the  school  rooms  is  a  brick 
shaft  with  two  flues,  one  12  by  28  inches,  and  the  other  30  by 
28  inches.  Between  these  two  flues  is  a  thin  brick  partition. 
The  smallest  of  the  two  flues  is  a  smoke  flue  for  the  heating 
apparatus  in  the  lower  story,  and  the  larger  one  is  a  ventilat- 
ing shaft.  The  action  of  the  ventilating  flue  is  greatly  in- 
creased by  the  effect  of  the  heat  from  the  adjoining  smoke  flue. 

If  steam  should  be  adopted  for  heating  the  building,  a  pipe 
will  be  placed  in  each  of  these  ventilating  shafts  for  the  pur- 
pose of  increasing  its  action.  Besides  these  principal  venti- 
lating shafts,  there  are  in  each  school  room,  two  ordinary 
chimney  shafts  with  ventilators  in  each. 

Each  of  the  school  rooms  has  light  from  two  sides,  and  the 
children  sit  with  their  backs  or  sides,  but  never  with  their 
faces  toward  the  light.  The  corridors  and  clothes  rooms, 
and  also  one  side  of  each  school  room,  are  finished  with  a 
wainscoting  of  narrow  boards,  Si  feet  high,  neatly  capped, 
and  grained  in  imitation  of  oak,  as  is  the  entire  internal 


NEWBERRY    SCHOOL.  81 


finish  of  the  house.  The  other  three  sides  of  each  school 
room  have  a  wainscoting  about  3  feet  high,  with  a  black-board 
above.  The  windows  in  all  of  them  are  finished  with  inside 
blinds. 

The  building  is  of  brick,  with  stone  foundations,  and  is 
built  in  the  most  substantial  manner.  The  exterior  of  the 
building  is  entirely  plain,  even  to  severity.  The  whole  cost 
of  this  house,  exclusive  of  furniture,  was  only  $2-i,137. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  improvements  that  have  been 
made  in  school  house  architecture,  in  other  cities,  we  venture 
to  offer  this  as  a  model  plan  for  a  large  school  house. 
Whenever  the  extra  expense  can  be  afforded,  it  is  undoubt- 
edly better  to  build  smaller  houses ;  but  for  a  building  to 
accommodate  1,200  children,  it  is  believed  that  the  Newberry 
School  House  is  not  surpassed,  in  its  adaptedness  to  the  wants 
of  a  graded  school,  by  any  building  that  has  hitherto  been 
erected. 

The  architect  of  this  building  was  G.  P.  Randall,  Esq.,  of 
Chicago. 


82 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


NEWBERRY    SCHOOL.  —  FIRST    FLOOR. 


A. — School  Rooms. 

F.— Rooms  for  Ileating  Apparatus. 

E. — Corridors. 

D. — Clothes  Rooms. 

C. — Teachers'  Closets. 


NEWBERRY    SCHOOL. 


83 


NEWBERRY    SCHOOL. —  FOURTH    FLOOR. 


A. — School  Rooms. 

B.— Hall. 

D. — Clothes  Rooms. 

E. — Corridors. 

C— Teachers'  Closets. 


84  PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 


BOARD   OF  EDUCATION. 


LUTHER  HAVEN,  President, 

No.  18  Harrison  Street. 

FLAVEL  MOSELEY, 

Tremont  House. 

JOHN  H.  FOSTER, 

No.  216  East  Madison  Street. 

GEORGE  M.  HIGGINSON, 

No.  402  Erie  Street. 

PHILO  CARPENTER, 

No.  292  West  Kandolph  Street. 

SAMUEL  HOARD, 

No.  286  West  Van  Buren  Street. 

JOHN  C.  DORE, 

Metropolitan  HoteL 

FREDERICK  BAUMANN, 

Erie  Street,  corner  of  St.  Clair. 

BENJAMIN  F.  ADAMS, 

No.  366  Ontario  Street. 

JOSEPH  P.  BROOKS, 

No.  66  Edina  Place. 

WILLIAM  A.  PORTER, 

Office,  No.  8  South  Clark  Street. 

SAMUEL  S.  HAYES, 

Washington  Street,  opposite  Union  Park. 

LEVI  B.  TAFT, 

No.  334  West  Monroe  Street. 

JAMES  WARD, 

No.  254  West  Randolph  Street. 

PERKINS  BASS, 

No.  24  Edina  Place. 


SUPERINTENDENT  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

W.  H.  WELLS. 

Office,  119  South  Clark  Street,  up  stairs;  House,  342  West  Madison  Street. 


SCHOOLS   AND   TEACHERS. 


85 


SCHOOLS  AND  TEACHERS. 


CHICAGO  HIGH  SCHOOL, 

Monroe  Street^  betrveen  Halsted  and  Des 
Plaines. 

Charles  A.  Dupee,  Principal. 

Leander  H.  Potter. 

Edward  C.  Delano. 

George  Howland. 

J.  O.  Hudnutt. 

George  C.  Clarke. 

Alex.  Coignard,  two  hours  a  day. 

Oscar  Faulhaber,     " 

S.  Grace  Thompson. 

DEARBORN  SCHOOL, 
Madison  St..,  betioeen  State  and  Dearborn. 

George  D.  Broomell,  Principal. 
Anna  E.  Whittier. 
Alice  L,  Barnard. 

Fannie  Nicol,  Principal  Primary  De- 
partment. 
M.  Amanda  Ramsdell. 
S.  Helen  Newcomb. 
Martha  Myers. 

JONES  SCHOOL, 
Corner  of  Clark  and  Harrison  Streets. 
Willard  "Woodard,  Principal. 
Sophia  J.  Marshall. 
Lavinia  C  Perkins. 
Sophia  A.  Dow,  Principal  Primary 

Department. 
Mary  S.  Frazier. 
Marion  A.  Guild. 
Ellen  M.  Wadsworth. 

BRANCH  OF  JONES  SCHOOL, 

Corner  of  Wabash  Avenue  and    Twelfth 
Street. 

Ann  E.  Winchell. 

Laura  A.  Kellogg. 


SCAMMON  SCHOOL, 

Madison  St.,  between  Halsted  and  Union. 

Daniel  S.  Wentworth,  Principal. 
Helen  Culver. 
Mary  L.  Reed. 

Helen  C.  Litchfield,  Principal  Pri- 
mary Department. 
Charlotte  C.  Nisbett. 
Caroline  E.  Bickford. 
Helen  P.  Young. 

BRANCH  OF  SCAMMON  SCHOOL, 

Jefferson  St. ,  between  Madison  and  Wash- 
ington. 

Eliza  L.  Forbes. 
Alice  M.  Daniels. 
Lizzie  M.  Kennedy. 

KINZIE  SCHOOL, 

Corner  of  Ohio  and  La  Salle  Streets. 
Benjamin  D.  Slocum,  Principal. 
Elsie  H.  Gould. 
Elizabeth  S.  Tanner. 
Cynthia  J.  Barnes,  Principal  Pri- 
mary Department. 
Kate  M.  Sullivan. 
Bridget  A.  Kelly. 

FRANKLIN  SCHOOL, 

Comer  of  Division  and  Sedgeivick  Streets. 

Albert  G.  Lane,  Principal. 
Marion  B.  Sinclair. 
Emma  Dickerman. 
Agnes  M.  Manning,  Principal  Pri- 
mary Department. 
Naomi  Dougall. 
Martha  J.  Larson. 


86 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


WASHINGTON  SCHOOL, 
Corner  of  Owen  and  Sangamon  Streets. 
Benjamin  R.  Cutter,  Principal. 
Fannie  H.  Smith. 
Annie  Kennicott. 

Amanda  L.  Duncan,  Principal  Pri- 
mary Department. 
Julia  R.  Graves. 
Gertrude  Van  Patten. 
Helen  A.  Butler. 

MOSELEY  SCHOOL, 
Corner  of  Michigan  Ave.  and  Monterey  St. 

Bradford  Y.  Averell,  Principal. 
Sarah  K.  Foster. 
Harriet  Barnes. 
Susan  W.  Howe. 

Catharine   C.  Fox,   Principal  Pri- 
mary DepaHment. 
Mary  Gurnee. 
Rachel  A.  Cole. 
Helen  M.  Gurnee. 

BROWN  SCHOOL, 
Corner  of  Warren  a,7id  Page  Streets. 
Henry  M.  Keith,  Principal. 
Harriet  M,  Wentworth. 
Sophia  L.  Dean. 
Frances  E.  Bliss. 
Allie   Loveless,   Principal  Pnmary 

Department. 
Kate  K.  Raworth. 
M.  Frances  Wentworth. 

FOSTER  SCHOOL, 
Union  Street^  near  Twelfth. 
George  W.  Spofford,  Principal. 
Susan  E.  Ransom. 
Han-iet  M.  Messer. 
Harriet  H.  Nichols. 
Jennie  E.  McLaren. 
Emeline   S.  Haley,   Principal   Pri- 
mary Department. 
ElirabethJ.  Cory. 
Sarah  J.  Merriman. 


Sarah  E.  Bliss. 
Mary  J.  Putnam. 
Sarah  E.  Catlin. 
Emma  V,  Taylor. 
Amelia  A.  Bowker. 

BRANCH  OF  FOSTER  SCHOOL, 

William  Street.^  near  Loomis. 

Julia  A.  Nelson. 

OGDEN  SCHOOL, 

Chestnut   Street,  betioeen  Dearborn  and 
Wolcott. 

George  W.  Dow,  Principal. 

Elizabeth  H.  Bennett. 

Ann  M.  Shattuck. 

Lucy  A.  Wright. 

Fannie  Brown,  Principal  Primary 

Department. 
Anne  M.  J.  Dow. 
Mary  E.  Reed. 
Sarah  E.  Austin. 
Susan  A.  Swift. 
Martha  P.  Fennimore. 

NEWBERRY  SCHOOL, 
Corner  of  Orchard  and  WiMow  Streets. 
Curtis  C.  Meserve,  Principal. 
Emma  Hooke. 
Ellen  J.  Stevens,  Principal  Primary 

Department. 
Ellen  V.  Lamb. 
Aurelia  S.  Russell. 
Eliza  C.  Boyce. 
C.  E.  Young. 

SCHOOL  NO.  12, 

Corner  of  Reuben  and  Cornelia  Streets. 
Eugene  L.  Aiken,  Principal. 
Jerusha  C.  Cooper,  Principal  Pri- 
mary Department. 
Nellie  D.  Kendall. 

TEACHER  OP  MUSIC. 
William  Tillinghast. 


BOUNDARIES    OF   DISTRICTS.  87 


SUMMARY  OF  TEACHERS'  SALARIES. 


HIGH  SCHOOL. 

One  Principal,  (male,) $1,800  per  annum. 

One  Assistant,      "       1,200  " 

Three      "  "       1,000  " 

One         "  "       800  " 

Two        "  •*      (two  hoars  a  day,) 400  " 

One  "     (female,) 500  " 

GRAMMAR    SCHOOLS. 

One  Principal,  (male,) $1,250  per  annum. 

One         "  "      1,100  " 

Eight       "  "      1,000  " 

Two         "  "      600  " 

Ten  Assistants,  (female,) 400  " 

One  "  "  375  " 

Two         "  "  350 

Four        "  "  325  " 

Eight       "  "  300  "j 

PRIMARY    SCHOOLS. 

Four  Principals,  (female,) $500  per  annum. 

Two  "  "        450  " 

One  "  "        400  " 

Three        "  "        375  "I 

Two  "  "        350 

Six  Assistants,  "        350  " 

Seven        "  "        325 

Twenty-three  Assistants,  (female,) 300  " 

Ten  "  "        250  " 

One  Music  Teacher $1,000  per  annum. 


BOUNDARIES  OF  DISTRICTS. 


Dearborn  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  South  Division  situated  between  the 
main  branch  of  the  Chicago  river  and  Jackson  street. 

Jones  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  South  Division  situated  between  Jackson 
street  and  Twelfth  street. 

Scammon  School.  —  That  portion  of  West  Chicago  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Randolph  street,  on  the  east  by  the  South  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  on  the 
south  by  Tyler  street  and  a  line  due  east  from  the  centre  of  Tyler  street  to  the 
South  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  and  on  the  west  by  Curtiss  and  Aberdeen 
streets. 


88  PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


Kinzie  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  North  Division  of  the  city  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Chicago  avenue  from  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river  to 
Welis  street,  thence  on  the  east  by  Wells  street  to  Huron  street,  thence  on 
the  north  by  Huron  street  to  Clark  street,  thence  on  the  east  by  Clark  street  to 
the  Main  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  on  the  south  by  the  Main  Branch  of  the 
Chicago  river,  and  on  the  west  by  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river. 

Franklin  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  North  Division  of  the  city  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Rees  and  Schiller  streets,  from  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago 
river  to  Lake  Michigan,  thence  on  the  east  by  Lake  Michigan  to  North  Avenue, 
thence  on  the  south  by  North  Avenue  to  Clark  street,  thence  on  the  east  by 
Clark  street  to  Oak  street,  thence  oo  the  south  by  Oak  street  to  Sedgewick 
street,  thence  on  the  east  ,by  Sedgewick  street  to  Chicago  Avenue,  thence  on 
the  south  by  Chicago  Avenue  to  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  and 
on  the  west  by  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river. 

Washington  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  West  Division  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Chicago  Avenue  to  Milwaukee  Avenue,  thence  on  the  west  by  Mil- 
waukee Avenue  and  Elston  street  to  North  Branch,  on  the  east  by  the  North 
Branch,  on  the  south  by  Randolph  street,  on  the  west  by  Ann  street  to  Kin- 
zie street,  on  the  south  by  Kinzie  street  to  Noble  street,  and  on  the  west  by 
Noble  street  to  Chicago  Avenue. 

Mosdey  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  South  Division  situated  south  of 
Twelfth  street. 

Brown  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  West  Division  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Fourth  street  from  the  city  limits  to  Sheldon  street,  thence  on  the  east  by 
Sheldon  street  to  Kinzie  street,  thence  on  the  north  by  Kiazie  street  to  Ann 
street,  thence  on  the  east  by  Ann  street  to  Randolph  street,  thence  on  the 
north  by  Randolph  street  to  Curtiss  street,  thence  on  the  east  by  Curtiss  and 
Aberdeen  streets  to  Tyler  street,  thence  on  the  south  by  Tyler  street  to  Loomis 
street,  thence  on  the  east  by  Loomis  street  to  Twelfth  street,  thence  on  the 
south  by  Twelfth  street  to  the  city  limits,  and  on  the  west  by  the  city  limits. 

Fester  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  West  Division  of  the  city  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Twelfth  street  from  the  city  limits  to  Loomis  street,  thence  on  the 
west  by  Loomis  street  to  Tyler  street,  thence  on  the  north  by  Tyler  street  and 
a  line  due  east  from  the  centre  of  Tyler  street  to  the  South  Branch  of  the 
Chicago  river,  on  the  east  and  south  by  the  South  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river, 
and  on  the  west  by  the  city  limits  from  the  South  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river 
to  Twelfth  street. 

Ogden  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  North  Division  of  the  city  bounded  on 
the  north  by  North  Avenue  from  Clark  street  to  Lake  Michigan,  on  the  east 
by  Lake  Michigan,  on  the  south  by  the  Main  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  on 
the  west  by  Clark  street  from  the  Main  Branch  of  the  Chicago  riA^er  to  Huron 
street,  thence  on  the  south  by  Huron  street  to  Wells  street,  thence  on  the  Avest 
by  Wells  street  to  Chicago  Avenue,  thence  on  the  south  by  Chicago  Avenue  to 
Sedgewick  street,  thence  on  the  west  by  Sedgewick  street  to  Oak  street,  thence 
on  the  north  by  Oak  street  to  Clark  street,  and  thence  on  the  west  by  Clark 
street  to  North  Avenue. 

Newberry  School.  —  That  portion  of  the  North  Division  bounded  north  by  the 
city  limits,  east  by  Lake  Michigan,  south  by  Schiller  and  Rees  streets,  and 
west  by  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river. 

District  No.  12.  —  North  by  the  city  limits,  from  the  west  limits  of  the  city 
to  the  North  Branch  of  Chicago  river,  on  the  east  by  the  North  Branch,  Elston 
street  and  Milwaukee  Avenue,  to  Chicago  Avenue,  on  the  south  by  Chicago 
Avenue  to  Noble  street,  on  the  east  by  Noble  street  to  Fourth  street,  on  the 
south  by  Fourth  street  to  the  city  limits,  and  on  the  west  by  the  city  limits. 


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